Evolution Shinji
by MichaelCross
Summary: What happens when Shinji, literally, drops in on X-23? Now with citrus!
1. Chapter 1

Evolution Shinji

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

Smiling softly as the closest thing she has to a Father is evacuated by SHIELD, X-23 starts making her way back into the wilderness. Despite the circumstances that led them to fight in unison for their lives, she was happy that he cares for her and wants her there with him and the others. Especially after the first time she went to the Institute and caused trouble. She then sighs, facing reality as it had been drummed into her by HYDRA.

'There's no way I can be accepted. Not by them. Weapon-X is the closest thing I have to a Father, but then I'd cause him nothing but trouble. It's better this way.'

Breathing in through her nose, she suddenly catches a scent. A scent of blood. Looking around, she sees no sign of wounded creatures, as it smelled like something was bleeding heavily. Looking upward, she then blinks at seeing a black hole open up before her. Along with a falling form coming at her at high speed.

'It's one of those days that never ends, isn't it?' With that thought, along with suspecting she can't move fast enough to avoid it, the form collides with her. Knocking her down to the ground and the wind out of her lungs. Assessing her predicament, she notices the form is human, young and male. Rolling him off of and away from her, she extends her claws in her left hand and grabs him with her right hand.

"All right, bub!" Mentally face-palming herself at her manner of speaking, she quickly shakes it off and goes on. "You've got five seconds to explain why you landed on me before I skewer you!" However, she notices he's unconscious and retracts her claws. "You're no fun to skewer if you're unconscious." Having him in her hand still, she carefully sniffs him, lays him back down and arches a curious eyebrow.

'Why does he smell of blood?' Looking at his face, she sees he's Japanese. Examining him the rest of the way, she sees he's dressed oddly. 'Some kind of body suit with "01" on his upper chest area.' She then hears him speaking, if not whimpering, in Japanese.

"_Asuka, Misato, Father, Ayanami… help me. Please."_ X-23 can't help but arch an eyebrow, again, before noticing he's still unconscious.

'Okay. He's out like a light. I have no clue as to how to go about getting out of here without leaving him to fend for himself.' Slapping herself, she grits out, "Dammit, X-23, what's with you? He'll just tie you down." Considering her options, she remembers one more item. One she's uneasy enough about as it is. "I guess I have no choice, then."

_(Xavier Institute; three hours later)_

As he stalks the halls, Logan clenches his fists. Wishing he'd been able to get his claws into Lady Hydra, Gauntlet and Omega Red for all the nonsense the idiotically insane HYDRA leader and her flunkies had put him through. Along with worried about X-23, hoping she'll be alright out there even though he already knows she can handle herself. His musings then end when he hears the doorbell chiming.

'If it ain't one thing, it's another.' Going to the front door, he opens it and blinks at the sight.

"Hello." X-23 sheepishly smiles as she asks, "Does that offer extend to one more?" In her arms is an unconscious boy. Japanese in descent, dressed in a peculiar outfit.

"Where'd you find him?"

"More like he found me, unconsciously, and landed on top of me." As Logan takes him out of her arms, she adds, "I don't think he's been eating much as he was light as a feather." When Logan takes a sniff of him, he turns toward her.

"He smells like blood. Was he wounded?"

"Not as far as I can tell. If anything, I'd say he was immersed in a liquid that smelled like blood." Frowning, she adds, "Repeatedly, at that."

"Okay. Tell me everything you can while we go to the Medical Wing." Nodding, the girl follows him, telling him what had happened and her observations. When they get there, he calls out, "McCoy! Got a kid here that needs help!"

"No need to shout, Logan." The voice above them gets them to look upward and a large smiling figure with blue fur jumps down. "I can see just fine. On the gurney, if you please."

"Yeah, yeah." As he does so, he adds, "I don't think you met X-23 yet. Properly, anyway."

"Ah. So you're the one that rendered Charles, myself and most of the other students unconscious." X-23 can only chuckle uneasily before Beast smirks. "No need to be uneasy, my dear. While I can't speak for the others, I'm not quite one to hold a grudge. Unlike your former handlers at HYDRA, I'm sure." X-23 lets out a snort of amusement.

"You got that right." Looking the boy over, she asks, "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"I'll do all I can for him. Though from his appearance in general, I think he'll pull through. Logan, why don't you take your 'daughter' to a room so she can get cleaned up and rest for the night?"

X-23 opens her mouth to say she's not exactly his daughter, but then closes it. Knowing that it's probably the most accurate way of describing her. Looking toward the boy again, and noticing the odd objects in his hair, she indicates them to Beast.

"What do you think those are?"

"Hmm, most fascinating." Gently lowering his visage to the boy's head, he examines it intently before his eyes bolt open. Parting the hair where the clip is, he can only shake his head. "Poor boy had to have gone through enormous trauma."

"Beast?"

"Logan, these items appear to be some kind of neural control interfaces, positioned at the A-10 nerve of the brain. Also, his garb appears to have some kind of life support system in it. I'll have to proceed carefully so as not to cause him undue harm."

"Got it." Looking toward X-23, Logan grunts and says, "Off to bed you go, X." X-23 nods softly before turning around and exiting, Logan right behind her. As they exit, Beast picks up on the intercom.

"Jean, if you'll be so kind as to join me in the Medical Ward, please."

"_On my way. Want me to bring Scott?"_

"No. But you may want to have him inform Charles of our newest arrivals."

"_How many are there? Conditions?"_

"Two. One unconscious and one mobile. The one that's mobile is with Logan so she can get a room for the night." Grimacing he adds, "As for the one that's unconscious, I don't think you'll like what you'll see."

"_I understand."_ With that, Beast sighs and ponders removing the clips from the boy's head before shrugging.

"I'll let Jean decide whether or not the clips can be removed from you." Two minutes later, Jean walks in and sees the unconscious patient is a young man.

"How is he, Hank?"

"He's seemingly stable. Yet it looks like he's seen enormous trauma." Jean nods before looking the boy over. Frowning upon seeing his outfit and an unusual pair of ornaments on his head, she looks up at him.

"What's he wearing and what is that on his head?"

"They appear to be some kind of neural interfaces. Attaching to the A-10 nerve of the brain." Shrugging, he adds, "As to his garb, some kind of body suit that appears to have a life support system in it."

"Okay. Do you want me to probe his mind, see if I can find any activity?"

"Yes. Just at the surface, though. In the meantime, I'll see if I can figure out how to get this body suit off of him." Jean nods at that before concentrating and connecting with the boy's surface thoughts.

_Pain_

_Loneliness_

_A loud redhead_

_A quiet girl with blue hair_

_A man wearing glasses with a stony visage_

_A barely dressed woman with purple hair_

_A penguin that lives in a freezer_

_Three large beings that scream monstrous_

_A red void_

Breaking contact, Jean pants before running her fingers through the boy's hair. When her hand reaches the clips, she eases them both off. Beast notices this and softly clears his throat.

"I take it that they're not crucial for life." At her silent nod, he then asks, "What'd you find, Jean?"

"Your assessment of him going through enormous trauma is a bit of an understatement." Softly lifting his left hand up, she grips his left wrist and the sound of the material going slack can be heard. Levitating him upward with her telekinesis, she says, "You can get it off of him now. The plug suit should be loose enough."

Nodding, the man-beast does so while Jean levitates a sheet over the boy's form, ready to preserve his dignity. Once the plug suit's off, Jean lowers him back down to the gurney and levitates an extraction syringe, an alcohol swab and a flexible tourniquet from a nearby table. Manipulating the tourniquet around his left arm, she applies the swab to his arm by hand and eases the syringe into the vein as it pops up.

"Hank, get some gauze ready, please."

"Already in hand, Jean." Within three seconds, the syringe is filled with the boy's blood and Beast presses the gauze over the syringe. "Ready, Jean." Nodding, Jean extracts the syringe, enabling Beast to secure the gauze over the puncture. "Now to see whether our young friend has an X-gene or not."

"Indeed. Though I highly doubt he does." Shaking lightly, she adds, "The things I'd seen that he'd seen though… I wouldn't be surprised if he was treated like a mutant even without an X-gene." Running her fingers through his hair again, she tearfully adds, "He has psychic scars, Hank. He's even seen things that don't exist in this world. The Professor may have to help him by doing the one thing he doesn't like."

"I think Charles and our young friend here will have to decide for themselves, Jean."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

"But, given your statement about him having psychic scars and having seen things not of this world, it's worth pondering." Curious, he asks, "What kind of psychic scars, Jean?"

"Very unpleasant." Submitting the sample for analysis, she only has to wait for three seconds for the results. "He's X-gene negative. He's a normal human." Frowning, she adds, "As normal as possible, that is." Looking at his hands, she gasps in shock. "He even has some physical scarring. On his hands." Beast peers intently at them before frowning himself.

"These scars are consistent with touching something at an extremely high temperature. From the way they're patterned, it seems he was opening a hatch equipped with 'dog' handles."

_(Xavier Institute living quarters; twenty minutes later)_

Feeling refreshed after her shower, and dressed in sweats, X-23 goes into the room that Logan had managed to allocate for her. Granted, she's sans roommate, but she and Logan both agreed that it'll be better until she's fully acclimated to the presence of mutant teenage peers. Sitting down onto the bed in the room, she thinks about the boy she'd carried to the Institute.

'He was easy on the eyes, at least.' Unbidden, a soft blush rises to her cheeks before she shakes her head. "What was that about?" A soft knock on the door is heard and she says, "Come in, 'Dad'." Logan chuckles softly as he does so and leans in the doorway.

"Have a good shower?"

"I'd say so. Any news on the boy I brought with me?"

"Not really. Though it looks like he'll be asleep through the night. Albeit…"

"Albeit what?"

"Kid, I don't exactly know how he came across you, but I know this much from what I heard through the vents. He's been through a lot and certainly not in this world." Seeing her eyes go wide, he asks, "You okay, kid? Because it looks to me like you're worried about him."

"Maybe a little bit. But, what'd you mean by 'not in this world'? It's not like he came from another planet."

"Maybe not, but damn near close enough to it. I'll have to talk to SHIELD, see if they picked up anything unusual. Doctor Riesman, however, may need to be informed you're safe if you want her to know."

"Why her?"

"Because she went to SHIELD when you first broke free of HYDRA's control, hoping to be able to save your life. Also, you're growing like a sprout. I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this." Her face going red, X-23 nods with Logan sniffing and grinning. "Plus, it'd do the two of you some good."

"Huh?" At his grin, her blush goes even deeper before she stammers out, "D… D… Don't be ridiculous! Me and the boy? Together? He wouldn't last long with me! We have nothing in common!"

"I don't know about that. You both led lonely lives and gone through quite a bit. If anything, that's part of a foundation." His grin becoming a smirk/scowl, he adds, "Besides, you're putting out tons of pheromones just from hearing about him. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of being a Dad, for that matter."

"Even though I'm designated as a 'clone' of you?"

"Kid, if you were truly a 'clone' of me, you'd actually be a clone of me. But Dr Riesman made changes to how you'd come out. Hence…"

"I'm not really a clone. Just a genetically engineered daughter with your genes."

"You got it." Sighing, he adds, "You'd better get some shut eye. You had a long day today."

"As had you. Yet you didn't have a boy fall out of nowhere on top of you."

"Exactly. Night, kid."

"Night." With that, Logan closes the door after turning off the light. Yet X-23 doesn't go right to sleep. She just remains sitting upright before getting up from the bed and stealthily exiting the room. Making her way down to the Medical Wing, she sees Beast and the redheaded woman from the first time she was at the Institute carefully going over the boy.

"Jean, according to his scans, he had some kind of liquid in his lungs."

"Was he drowning?"

"Not exactly. In fact, if I'm reading this right, the liquid is a variation of a perfluorocarbon fluid. A liquid capable of being heavily oxygenated. Yet your query would imply such."

"Meaning…"

"It was so heavily tainted with both carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, he'd have suffocated if within an enclosed space any longer than he had been. Whatever it was." Blinking, he adds, "A wonder he survived at all. Especially for one so young."

"So he'll be okay then?" At the voice at the doorway, Beast and Jean turn around and see X-23 there. Dressed in grey sweats, she arches an eyebrow. "He will be, right?"

"As far as we can ascertain, yes. But the big question is shouldn't you be asleep now?"

"I know, but I couldn't sleep. Not with him on my mind." Jean gives X-23 a grin, causing her to blush. "Not like that! Not like that!"

'Sure. Just keep telling yourself that.' That thought done, Jean only shrugs before saying, "I don't think we officially met yet. Especially with how you rendered me unconscious." Extending her hand outward, she adds, "Jean Grey." Unsure of the meaning, X-23 duplicates it. Only for Jean to gently grasp it in hers. "It's called a handshake."

"Ah. X-23." Looking toward the boy again, she releases Jean's hand and sniffs him. "Do you know he smells of blood? Or why?" Blinking, Beast sniffs him before frowning.

"It seems the source of the blood scent is the liquid formerly in his lungs. Most perplexing."

"Not as perplexing as why you're out of bed, kid." At the sound of Logan's voice, X-23 slowly turns around and smiles sheepishly before frowning and turns back toward the boy.

"I couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts roaring through my head." Hearing Jean stifle a snicker, X-23 blushes again. "It's not like that, Jean! I just don't think he should be alone in sleep right now."

"Well, I suppose I could allow you to sleep at his bedside, X-23. As long, of course, that's all that occurs." X-23 could honestly swear her face is red as a fire truck from Beast's reply. "Logan, do you find it acceptable?"

"I ain't exactly thrilled with the idea, but if it gets her to sleep, it's worth a try." Her face bright red still, X-23 gets up onto the bed next to the one the boy's on. As she watches the boy breathe, she soon finds herself surrendering to the arms of slumber. Logan and the others can only be stunned at how peacefully she's sleeping.

"Remarkable. She's out like a light. Of course, she did have quite an ordeal, so exhaustion is most certainly a factor." Gently covering X-23's body with a blanket, Hank muses, "If only Jubilee could be here now, Logan."

"Well, we could always check in on her from time to time." Arching his right eyebrow upward, he asks, "Why bring up 'Sparkie', though?"

"She's roughly X's age and she sees you as a surrogate Father of sorts." Jean barely manages to stifle a giggle as a now-grinning Hank goes on. "While they are from different ends of the spectrum…"

"Beast, I'm getting a headache from all your babbling. Plus I'm tired as all Hell. We'll talk more tomorrow." Beast and Jean both nod as Logan looks down at the boy his 'daughter' had brought in. "You able to get his name, Jean?"

"Shinji. Shinji Ikari." Running her fingers through his hair again, she adds, "He's barely younger than me, but he'd already seen so much." With that, tears start falling from her green eyes before she looks up at Logan. A snarl on her face. "We ever find whoever did this to him, that person's mine!" Logan can't help but snort at that.

"You'll have to get in line, Jean." Smirking, he adds, "And the line starts with X-23. Even if she doesn't realize it yet." Jean and Beast both nod their agreement. Wide smirks on their faces.


	2. Chapter 2

Evolution Shinji 2

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

"_Nnn."_ Groggily opening his eyes, Shinji Ikari, Pilot of Evangelion Unit-01 for UN Agency NERV, blearily blinks as the ceiling above him comes into focus. _"Another unfamiliar ceiling."_

"_I must admit, I've never heard of it described quite like that before."_ The new male voice to his right gets a slight smirk from Shinji.

"_Doctor Akagi must've redecorated in here since the last time I was admitted after an Angel battle."_ Turning to look toward the new voice's source, he says, _"I don't think we ever met before, though."_ Once he's finished speaking, however, he sees a massive blue-haired form before him. He can see the form wince and blinks.

"_Okay. I'm either on some new medical cocktail that Doctor Akagi dreamed up and am hallucinating as a side effect or I'm not in Tokyo-3 anymore."_ He then sees the form give an amused smirk at that.

"_Which would you prefer, my boy?"_

"_I really hope I'm hallucinating right now."_ At the form's headshake of 'no', Shinji sighs at that. _"Why did I have the feeling it wouldn't be a hallucination?"_

"_I'm afraid I can't really answer you on that. But I must thank you."_ Shinji can only blink in bewilderment at that.

"_Thank me? For what?"_

"_Can you speak English?"_ At his nod, the form grins before continuing on in English. "For not screaming when you first saw me. I seriously doubt the young lady sleeping at your left side would've appreciated that."

"Young lady?" Blinking again at that, Shinji turns to his other side and sees a young girl. Slender, with tanned skin and long brown hair. Along with a soft smile on her face as she sleeps on the adjacent gurney. "Who is she?"

"Technically speaking, she's the daughter of one of the instructors here at the Institute. Genetically, however, she's his clone." Shinji can't help but blink at that before turning back around toward the blue-furred form.

"If she was a clone, wouldn't she be…"

"Male? Yes. But from my understanding, the only way for success to occur was if the scientist that created her were to modify the source genes to result in what's beside you right now."

"Ah." Shinji nods at that before getting upright. Only to notice his lack of dress as the sheet slides down his chest. "Umm, you wouldn't happen to know where I can find my plug-suit, would you?"

"It's currently being cleaned before analysis can take place. Along with those barbaric ornaments that were in your head at your A-10 nerve." Shinji feels up to his head at the form's words and notes the clips' absence. Seeing the form then go toward a cabinet filled with sweats, he hears the form ask, "What are you? 30 slim?"

"Umm, I'm not really sure."

"No matter. We can always go bigger or smaller if needed." Bringing a sweatsuit to Shinji, the form adds, "Here you go. Try this on for size." Shinji nods gratefully before looking back at the girl and seeing she's still asleep.

'What a relief. I thought I might be mooning her without even realizing it.' Turning back to getting the suit on, he doesn't see her open her eyes and sultrily lick her lips. This, however, catches the form's attention and deeply amuses it.

"Well now, good morning, X-23." Shinji can't help but pause in getting dressed before realizing he wasn't being addressed and resumes getting dressed. Only to next hear, "Did you enjoy your rest?"

"It was nice, Mr McCoy." The feminine voice behind Shinji gets him to slowly turn around and see the girl that was sleeping previously is now awake with a rosy red blush on her face. "Of course, the sight in front of me right now…" Shinji's blush gets X-23 to giggle softly as he finishes getting dressed. Lithely rising and lowering herself off of the gurney, she goes to Shinji's gurney and extends her hand.

"I'm X-23."

"Shinji Ikari." Taking her hand gently into his, he says, "Nice to meet you."

"Well, officially and properly, anyway." At Shinji's blink, X-23 elaborates. "You landed on top of me, out of nowhere, with your head making contact with mine."

"Oh! I'm… I'm sorry!" Shinji bows deeply to her, while seated, getting X-23 to roll her eyes before softly caressing his cheek, getting him to look up at her.

"Hey. How could you have known? You were unconscious at the time. Plus, I'm like my Father and have a hard head." Mr McCoy gives a snort at that.

"That's putting things mildly. But we can discuss that later. Professor Xavier is waiting in his office as we speak. If you both will follow me." Shinji and X-23 both nod before following the massive man.

Along the way, Shinji can see a young girl with long brown hair run toward a wall. But before he can even warn her of impending collision, she vanishes into the wall. He can only blink dumbfounded at that before Mr McCoy chuckles.

"That's Katherine 'Kitty' Pryde, code-name 'Shadowcat'. Her ability is phasing through solid objects. Word of advice, though. If she asks you to ride with her, don't. She's a veritable road hazard with her ability."

"Anything else about her to know, sir?"

"Yes. If she asks you to try her cuisine, don't. Her inability to cook ultimately makes her dangerous to be around." Shinji can't help but snort at that.

"She sounds just like a younger version of Misato. Only Misato doesn't 'phase' through anything when she drives. She just swerves around them." Mr McCoy and X-23 both shrug at that before all three ultimately reach a door marked 'Charles Xavier; Headmaster'. Opening the door, Mr McCoy leads the two youths into the office.

Allowing Shinji to see a gruff-appearing Caucasian man with unruly dark hair, a beautiful dark-skinned woman with long white hair, another Caucasian man wearing ruby-colored glasses, a Caucasian woman with long red hair and, finally, a distinguished gentleman without hair on his head behind the desk.

"Charles, I've brought our new guests as you requested."

"Thank you, Henry." As Charles begins moving, Shinji notes he didn't rise until he sees the frame of a wheelchair at Charles' back. "I am Professor Charles Xavier and I welcome you to my school, The Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, Shinji and, in the case of X-23, it's nice to have you back here again." Giving her a soft smile, he adds, "I do hope you're not planning to render any of us unconscious again anytime soon." X-23 can't help but smile sheepishly at that.

"No, sir." Charles nods at that before looking back toward Shinji.

"I understand you come from a different world, Mr Ikari." Shinji can't help but blink at how the man knew his name ahead of time.

"Um, just how do you know my name, anyway, when we just met?"

"Jean Grey, the young woman with long red hair, is telepathic and telekinetic. She did a surface scan of your memories and gotten hold of your name." Charles then frowns as he adds, "The things she'd seen in your mind, however, are most troubling. Plus, you seem to have arrived here at a poor time." Shinji can't help but smirk softly at that.

"Story of my life it seems, Professor. Every time I get somewhere, something's happening." The gruff-looking man lets out a snort at that.

"I think I like this kid already. And that's usually hard for me to do." Looking at X-23, he adds, "Fury and Doc Riesman will be here in a bit, kid. Mainly for Fury debriefing you and Riesman to monitor your overall health." X-23 nods before the dark-skinned woman clears her throat. "I was about done anyway, 'Ro."

"I'm sure you were, Logan." Stepping toward Shinji, she goes on. "I'm Ororo Munroe. You can call me 'Storm', Shinji and X-23. The 'gentleman' that spoke just before myself is Mr Logan, 'Wolverine'. The gentleman with Jean is Scott Summers, 'Cyclops'. Any questions?"

"Yes, Ms 'Storm'. What's Jean's nickname?"

"I haven't found one yet, Shinji. Oh, and 'Storm' is fine with her. She's rather informal." Shinji nods at that before Jean frowns. "I still can't get over what I saw in your head, Shinji. What was all that?"

"My life ever since I got back to Tokyo-3 and was conscripted into a war for the survival of the remnants of humanity. But, I don't understand how I got from the void of the 12th Angel to here." Snorting, Shinji then adds, "I bet Asuka's just loving this right now. Me not being inside Unit-01 anymore."

"She don't like you at all, huh?" At Shinji's 'negative' headshake, Logan snorts. "She don't know what she's missin'. Wouldn't you say, X?" X-23 shyly nods at that before blushing furiously.

"Dad!" Meanwhile, Shinji can't help but be bewildered. With Charles picking up on it.

"Is something wrong, Shinji?"

"I'm just curious. What kind of 'gifts' are we talking about here? I mean, X and I saw a girl run through a wall without getting hurt and Mr McCoy is large and blue. And I'm pretty sure the nicknames have some kind of meaning." Charles smiles softly at that before replying.

"Indeed. In this world, there are people with a gene that gives them extraordinary capabilities or a different physical appearance. This gene is known as the 'X-gene'. People that carry this gene are commonly called 'mutants'. The reason you arrived here at a poor time is because there's a backlash against mutants. Most mutants want to live peacefully alongside humanity. That's what this school is for, to help mutants control their abilities. However…"

"There are some mutants that think they should rule humanity. Right?" At Charles' nod and blink of surprise, Shinji shrugs and says, "I kinda figured you'd say something along those lines when you said 'however', Professor. Sorry about the interruption."

"It's quite alright, Shinji. And yes. That was what I was about to say." Glaring playfully at Jean, he asks, "Are you sure he doesn't have an 'X-gene', Jean? Because it seems he'd read my mind."

Before Jean can answer however, a knock is heard on the door before it opens. A tanned young female then pokes her head in.

"Yes, Amara?" The tanned girl sees Shinji and suddenly blushes before shaking it off. Not noticing X-23 grit her teeth in irritation.

"Mr Fury and Dr Riesman are here, Professor."

"Thank you, Amara. Please let them know they can come in."

"Yes, Professor." Looking toward Shinji one more time, she blushes again before moving away from the door. Unbidden, X-23 releases her clenched jaw before groaning. Shinji catching it.

"Are you okay, X-23?"

"I'm fine, Shinji. It's just being a rough day for me."

"Oh. I hope you get to feel better." X-23's cheeks go rosily red again before she hears Ororo and Jean softly giggle.

'Not now! Please! Not while we're here in this office!' Much to her relief, Jean nods, but has a smirk on her face. Ororo's face sharing said smirk. Next thing they know, the door opens, getting X-23 to turn around, Shinji following suit.

A tall Caucasian man, wearing an eyepatch over his left eye and a combat harness over a jumpsuit and a woman of Mid-Eastern descent with long blond hair. The man looks X-23 and Shinji over before smirking softly.

"So, this is what the scanners on the heli-carrier picked up around the location of HYDRA's destroyed Base." Stepping toward Shinji, he asks, "What's your name, son?"

"Shinji Ikari, sir." The man nods at that.

"Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD." Looking at X-23 before back to Shinji, he asks, "Where'd you come from, Shinji?"

"Tokyo-3, sir." Fury can't help but blink at that before smirking.

"You came through a hole in the space-time continuum, huh? Particularly from a different time or place?" At Shinji's nod, he then looks toward X-23. "What did you see when you two met?"

"A dark void above me. Shinji came out of it and landed on top of me. Unconscious." Her face going redder catches the woman's attention as she goes on. "I carried Shinji to here in my arms and went to sleep at his side." Seeing Ororo and Jean smirking even wider, she hastily adds, "That's all that happened!"

"I believe you, X-23." The woman's voice gets X-23 to smile softly before it goes on. "Have you checked the calendar lately?"

"No, Dr Riesman. Why do you ask?" Riesman gives her a pointed look, causing her face to go flaming red. "No! It can't be! It's too soon!"

"I'm afraid so, X-23. As you grow, you'll go into 1st Stage heat quickly if you're physically active within a certain time frame. Which means you gotta say 'bye-bye' to your new boyfriend while us girls have a little chat." Before she can even protest, Riesman gently takes her arm and goes on. "Shall we, ladies?"

"Sure." Joining Riesman, Jean and Ororo help her guide a blushing X-23 out of the office.

Shinji can't help but blink at what'd just happened. Next thing he knows, Fury gently pats his shoulder.

"It'll be alright, son. She's in good hands."

"How do you know, Mr Fury?"

"Dr Riesman's the one that created X-23 for HYDRA. When X-23 broke free of their control, Dr Riesman came to us for help. At great personal risk to herself as HYDRA doesn't like to lose control of anything. At all, under any circumstances." Shinji then looks up at Fury before blinking.

"So what exactly is HYDRA?"

"Bad news, Shinji." Logan's blunt reply gets his attention as he goes on. "They've been makin' trouble for humanity ever since it was incepted. Fury and his bunch with SHIELD work against HYDRA to ensure none of their designs come to fruition." Meanwhile…

"I'm telling you, Tabitha, he was so cute!" Amara squeals softly at that before calming down. "But it looks like someone had already staked her claim on him and not even realize it yet." Tabitha gives Amara a smirk at that.

"What was she like?"

"I didn't see her face, but I think she sensed how I reacted upon seeing him in the Professor's office. She tensed herself, as if willing herself to stay still." Curious, she asks, "Do you think it could be the girl that came and knocked us all out?"

"It could very well be. But let's talk about the boy now. Do you know what powers he has?"

"No, I don't." Grinning, she adds, "But I can hardly wait to see him in the 'Danger Room', see how he does."

"Or, we can do it a much simpler way. C'mon!" Smiling widely as she tugs Amara along, she adds, "This'll be a blast." Amara can't help but smirk with a quip of her own.

"With you it usually is, Boom-Boom." Both girls giggle at that before coming across Jean, Ororo, Riesman and X-23. "Hello, Jean."

"Hello, Amara. Tabitha. What're you two girls giggling about?"

"Just going to see what powers the new guy has, is all. The 'Boom-Boom Way' style."

"That might not be such a good idea, Tabitha." Ororo's face has concern before she asks, "Hasn't it ever occurred to you that he might not even be a mutant?" Tabitha and Amara's faces go wide into grins.

"Don't be such a kidder, Ororo. You know that no normal humans would want to hang around with us. And, well, we know no normal humans. You know? C'mon, Amara. This is gonna be great."

With that, she and Amara walk on, leaving a concerned quartet of females behind.

"This is not going to end well." Ororo's statement gets a nod from Jean before she sees a young man with brown hair and grins.

"Bobby, how are you with distance icing?" Bobby shrugs at that before replying.

"Dunno. What kind of distance are we talking about?"

"Say about to where Tabitha and Amara are walking toward." Bobby eyes the two and grins.

"Yeah, I can do that." Stepping to around the four, he asks, "Anything special in mind?"

"Just stop them in their tracks, please, Bobby. And keep it quiet as to why."

"You got it, Storm." With that, he sends ice toward the two adolescent girls. With the ice making contact with their feet, freezing them in mid-step.

"YIPE! COLD!" At their united shrieks, they both look to each other before yelling out, "BOBBY!"

"Now would be a good time for you to run, Bobby." The young man nods at Jean before smirking.

"I'm gone." With that, he rushes off in the opposite direction, laughing raucously, just as Amara's abilities kick in and melt the ice around her and Tabitha's feet.

"Now you're gonna get it, Drake!" Running off after him, passing the other four females, the two incensed young femmes keep up their chase. "Get back here, Drake! You think that's funny?!"

"C'mon, it was just a joke, Magma and Boom-Boom!"

"I'll show you a joke, Ice-cube!" Tabitha primes her abilities and forms a glowing sphere in her hands. "What did the time bomb say to the iceberg before blowing up?!" When Bobby doesn't answer, she adds, "Don't worry! I do this all the time!"

"Not much of a joke, Tabby! You're slipping!" With that, he points his hands downward and sends ice down onto the floor behind him. Amara and Tabitha both slip on the ice covered floor, but not before Tabitha's sphere leaves her hands and detonates against Bobby. "YEOW! TABBY!" Tabitha laughs wickedly at that while getting herself back onto her feet and helping Amara back up.

"Time Bomb!" Logan's yell from the lower level gets Tabitha to gulp nervously before he adds, "The Professor would like to speak to you, Lava Girl and the Ice-cube!"

"Coming, Mr Logan!" Tabitha groans at that before scowling at Bobby. "Now see what you caused?" Bobby shrugs at that before grinning.

"You know me. Anything for a laugh."


	3. Chapter 3

Evolution Shinji 3

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

As Bobby, Tabitha and Amara reach Professor Xavier's office, the three feel unease for they'd used their abilities outside the 'Danger Room' and wrought havoc upon the campus. Before Bobby can even knock, however…

"Come in, please." Professor Xavier's voice is calm, getting all three to blink before shrugging and doing so. As they open the door and enter the office, they see Scott, Logan, Beast, Fury, Professor Xavier and the boy Amara had seen earlier. "Close the door, please, Bobby."

"Sure thing, Professor." As the young Boston native closes the door, Xavier looks toward Tabitha and Amara.

"Jean communicated to me that you were intending to find out Mr Ikari's capabilities. Is this accurate, Tabitha?"

"Yes, Professor. Using one of my more potent bombs, just to see how well he'd stand up to it."

"Probably not very well." The boy's voice is shy, yet Tabitha can't help but grin.

"Don't be shy. Except for Fury there, we're all mutants here."

"I'm not, though." Amara and Tabitha both blink at that before Tabitha snickers.

"C'mon. Quit pulling my leg. You can't possibly be a normal human because normal humans don't come around here."

"How do you explain Mr Fury?"

"Nothing normal about him. No offense, Mr Fury." Fury lets out a snort at that.

"None taken. To be able to work at SHIELD, you'd have to be a little weird and expect to see weird things."

"Weirder than gigantic beings from outer space that wants to eliminate the remnants of humanity to bring about an even more catastrophic disaster than 2nd Impact?" Shinji's query gets the three students' attention before Tabitha arches her eyebrows. Bobby and Amara following suit with their eyebrows.

"What? I've never heard of 2nd Impact. Have either of you?" At Bobby and Amara 'negative' headshakes, Tabitha asks, "Why haven't we heard about 2nd Impact?"

"Here're the basics, Time Bomb. Shinji here's from a different reality. He's also X-gene negative. X brought him here late last night, in her arms." Logan then notices Fury's face is scrunched in thought and adds, "Why don't you three show Shinji around, have him meet with the others. I'm sure 'Stripes' would like to come out of her room soon to eat."

"You got it, Logan." With that, Tabitha takes Shinji's arm left arm into her right and grimaces as she tugs him toward the doorway. Bobby opening the door for them before he and Amara follow them. Once the door's closed behind them, Logan looks at Fury.

"What've you got going in that head of yours, Fury?"

"I don't know if you noticed Shinji's eyes yet or not, but he's got the gaze of someone without a purpose or at the least lost their purpose. In his case, it's the latter. He's not where he feels he's supposed to be. That means none of what he went through in Tokyo-3 is happening here. Without a purpose or something to occupy his mind, he'll be lost."

"So what do we do, Fury? Build an 80 ft tall cyborg from alien remains? Like what the kid piloted?" He then slaps his forehead before sarcastically remarking, "But we don't know where to find any!"

"I actually have something else in mind. Fact of the matter is, I've been kicking this idea around in my head for a good while now and it just might be beneficial to the boy."

"What idea are you…" Logan's trail-off is joined by a blink before he asks, "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" Fury only smirks at Logan, getting an eye-roll from the Canadian. "Of all the hair-brained ideas you'd cooked up over the years, Fury, that idea's not only hair-brained, it's demented."

"No, Logan. Demented would be letting a soul without a purpose exit the world. What I have in mind will not only give him purpose, but a huge boost in self-confidence. I mean, you heard the way he talked about his time at NERV before Boom-Boom interrupted our chat. I don't know what was done to him in the years before that, but I do not like it. At all."

"Nor do I, Mr Fury." Xavier's reply is shaken as he adds, "From the moment he started talking, I got a glimpse of his mind. What I saw was not a pretty sight. At all. Outright loneliness, constant scolding or neglect by the man assigned to educate him up until his return to Tokyo-3, being told by the same man for him to make himself useful… not even Erik could've been that way. To him, you're either useful or not. But to make yourself that way…" Silence reigns in the office until Logan grunts.

"What're you proposing for him, exactly, Fury?" Meanwhile…

"When's the last time you ate?" Tabitha felt the thinness in Shinji's arms earlier and can only think one thing. 'Not even Toad was this thin in his arms!'

"That'd have to be four hours before I went up against the 12th Angel." Tabitha gives him a wary glance at that.

"I'm guessing that the gigantic beings from your world are called Angels." Seeing Shinji nod out the corner of her eye, she can't help but shake her head. 'He's so young and seen so much!'

"That's right." Bobby can't help but whistle at that.

"Wow. What'd you do in your world, Shinji?"

"I piloted something that doesn't exist in this world for an organization headed by my Father."

"Wow. I bet he was proud of you joining him… wait. You're, what, fifteen?" At his nod, Tabitha snarls out, "Was he on drugs?" Much to surprise, Shinji smirks.

"Now that you mention it, I hadn't thought about that possibility. Even more, I was expecting to reconcile with him when I got back to Tokyo-3." Curious, he then says, "I don't think we ever introduced ourselves."

"Then we'll get on that right now. Bobby?"

"The guys are in the common room."

"Okay. Amara?"

"Kitty's bound to be in the kitchen by now. I'll go get her and bring her to the common room. Jean, Ororo, Dr Riesman and the new girl as well."

"Great. Bobby and I'll meet you guys there." Amara nods at that before splitting off. "By the way, the girl that just split off from us is my best bud. Amara 'Magma' Aquilla, from Brazil. She has the ability to generate, and survive, lava." Bobby takes that moment to cut in.

"Meaning if she wanted to, she can jump into a live volcano on a cold day and do some laps. But I'm not sure if her swimsuit would be able to survive it. Wanna find out one day?" Shinji's face can't help but go beet red at that, getting Bobby to snicker.

"Okay, okay. Didn't mean to make you go red, man. Bobby 'Iceman' Drake, I do ice blasts."

"He's also one of the resident pranksters here. Tabitha 'Boom-Boom' Smith, I do explosive spheres." Wincing, she adds, "Sorry for wanting to blow you up, by the way."

"It's okay. It's not like you were expecting a regular human to be here in a building filled with others that can do remarkable things." Bobby and Tabitha both smile at that, with Bobby patting Shinji on his right shoulder.

"Hey, you're alright man! I mean, for a guy that's from another world, you're taking winding up in this one in stride."

"Something I learned during my time at NERV. 'You never know what's going to happen next, so be ready to adapt to any changes around you'." Looking around, he adds, "But I don't think this is quite what they had in mind." Tabitha chuckles at that before nodding.

"I'm sure I'd feel the same way in your world, Shinji." Curious, she then asks, "Is it beautiful there?"

"Not really. If anything, it's halfway dead. With half of Earth's population having been wiped out."

"Attributed to '2nd Impact', right?" Shinji nods at Bobby's query, prompting him to ask, "So what's NERV?"

"An organization chartered by the UN to do one thing and one thing alone. Combat the 'Angels' and keep them from bringing about 3rd Impact. If 3rd Impact was to happen…"

"Good-bye what's left of humanity." Tabitha's summation gets Shinji to nod again before she asks, "So, what kind of plane did you pilot for them?"

"I didn't Pilot a plane. I Piloted an 80 ft tall bio-mechanical construct. The Test-Type Evangelion, Unit-01." Bobby's jaw drops at that before he whistles.

"That sounds like it'd be bigger than a Sentinel." Tabitha can't help but nod at that.

"Yeah, by about five, maybe ten feet. Don't really have time to ask them to stand still so we can measure them, though."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Because, Shinji, the Sentinels are our 'Angels', giant machines programmed to detain or destroy mutants. With much of humanity wanting mutants to be wiped out." Bobby's words get a nod from Tabitha before she jumps in herself.

"There are some humans willing to live peacefully with mutants, but they're in the minority. In fact, the other resident prankster here… his girlfriend's a regular human. You'll probably meet her at some point in time should you venture past the gates."

"Okay." Finding himself curious, he then asks, "So where exactly is this Institute at?"

"Bayville, NY." Bobby then grins, adding, "Or the outskirts of it, anyway." Not having once stopped walking, the trio enters a large room, with Bobby going on. "Here we have the common room, Shinji. We can play games, watch TV, socialize when we're not training." Shinji looks around and he can't help but grin weakly. At both the size of the room and the number of young males in there.

"This is about 1/8th the size of Central Dogma."

"Excuse me. What is Central Dogma?" The German-accented voice above him gets him to look up and see a thin blue-furred form with yellow eyes and a long tail. _"Hallo."_

"Hello." Watching as the form vanishes in a puff of smoke, he blinks. Only to lightly cough when another puff of smoke erupts at his side. "Akk!"

"Oh, sorry, dude. Got too close to you there." Seeing Shinji recovering his breath, the form can't help but blink. "You recover fast."

"Breathing LCL in a narrow tube, constantly, will do that to someone."

"Huh? Bobby, what is he talking about?"

"It relates to where he's from, Kurt. Which we'll get into when everyone else's introduced." The form Bobby called Kurt nods before smiling at Shinji.

"I'm Kurt 'Nightcrawler' Wagner. I can teleport." Before Shinji can even reply, however…

"Sam 'Cannonball' Guthrie. Once I get going, I can't stop."

"Ray 'Berzerker' Crisp. I do bursts of electricity."

"Roberto 'Sunspot' Da Costa. I do solar blasts."

"Jamie 'Multiple' Madrox. I can make duplicates of myself." Shinji can only nod to each of them and is about to reply when…

"Amara! Let me go! I was trying to, like, make brunch for today and wanted to try, like, a new recipe!"

"Ya wanna try something new, Kitty, try stayin' out the dang kitchen!"

"Why, like, should I, Rogue?!"

"Ya can't cook, Kitty! Everything ya make is a biohazard!"

"Don't be, like, so dramatic, Rogue! My cooking's, like, not dangerous!"

"Try telling that to the judges at the last time ya entered a cooking competition!"

"I, like, still got an award! That should, like, mean something to you!" Rogue can't help but snort and roll her eyes.

"Oh sure! 'Most likely to poison enemy soldiers to win a war without costing American troops their lives' is a great award! I'm surprised the DoD ain't come by to talk to ya yet!"

"It's only, like, been about five months, Rogue! You know, like, how busy government employees are!" Kitty then phases herself out of Amara's grip and adds, "Now if you'll, like, excuse me, I've a brunch to make!"

"Later, Kitty, this is important."

Amara's voice gets Kitty to stop before the latter turns to look at the former as Shinji gets a good look at them. The girl he and X-23 had seen earlier and a taller girl with auburn hair and a white streak in it.

"What could, like, be more important than me, like, making brunch?"

"How about the fact there's a new boy on the grounds?" Rogue's query gets Kitty's attention before she looks and sees Shinji standing with Kurt. "And the fact he ain't alone right now."

"If you'll excuse me, I'll be going now." Before he can do anything, though, Tabitha stops him.

"Don't you want the answer to your question first, Kurt? I'm sure Shinji would rather tell his story and answer any further questions we have for him right here and now." Bobby nods at that before going on.

"So at least try to be civil around Rogue. Please. Because like it or not, the both of you are all that the both of you have now. And life's short enough as it is. What's done is done."

"But, she killed Mother."

"She was no 'Mother' to either of us, Kurt. She'd always looked out for herself. No one else." Her eyes shimmering with tears, Rogue adds, "I know ya loved her, Kurt, but she was going to eventually hurt ya even worse than she did on down the line."

"Oh sure. What about that Cajun that has a crush on you and your crush on the Cajun? How do you know he won't hurt you on down the line?" Rogue's face can't help but go beet red before she angrily huffs.

"I don't have a crush on that Swamp Rat, Kurt!"

"Then why were you blushing just now?"

"I'm afraid Rogue's answer will have to wait, Kurt." Jean's voice at the doorway gets everyone's attention as she, Ororo, Dr Riesman and X-23 enter the common room. "For after Shinji tells his story and meets everyone else here. Except, of course, for the ones he's already met. Properly, anyway." Seeing as X-23 goes to Shinji's side, Jean can't help but hum a little. The tune gets Ororo to slightly giggle and Dr Riesman to suppress a snicker. With X-23's face going beet red.

"Will you, please, cut it out, Jean?! We only just met!"

"I agree, Jean. There's no need for 'that' tune." Riesman's response has X-23 sighing in relief before woman adds, "Yet." X-23's relief is too brief, yet Riesman goes on. "I believe it's time for the ladies Shinji hadn't met properly yet to introduce themselves to him." Ororo nods in agreement, understanding the meaning behind Riesman's words.

"I am called 'Storm' because I can manipulate the weather." The girl with the white streak bashfully sighs before speaking.

"I'm 'Rogue'. If I touch ya, I get yer memories and, if any, powers while ya go unconscious."

"That sounds like it sucks." Shinji's reply gets a nod from Rogue before she opens her mouth to speak again. Only for Kitty to pipe in.

"I'm, like, Kitty 'Shadowcat' Pryde. I can walk, like, through walls and even drive through things. I'm also, like, a great cook."

"Oh sure. If ya're aiming to kill people with yer cookin'!" Nodding toward X-23, she says, "Ya can go ahead, X."

"Thank you, Rogue." Looking right at Shinji, she says, "I'm called 'X-23' because I'm the 23rd experiment in HYDRA's Weapon-X cloning project. I'm also the only success, so to speak." Popping out two claws each from her hands and one claw each from her feet, she adds, "I have the same healing factor as my 'Dad', along with an Adamantium skeleton." Seeing him gazing at her claws, she winces and retracts them. "I'm scaring you, aren't I?"

"Actually, I think they're pretty cool." Shinji's voice gets her to blink before he adds, "I mean, you can get a job at a package opening facility and not worry about losing any cutting tools." X-23 blinks again before scowling at him.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"No, I'm serious." Next thing X-23 knows, Jean softly touches her shoulder.

"He's being truthful, X-23." The girl nods before sighing.

"My mistake. It's just that, I've never heard anyone say anything like that before."

"Yeah, well, at least you guys have some kind of abilities. Me? Aside from Piloting Evangelion, cooking, cleaning and playing the cello, I'm pretty much useless." Everyone in the room, save from Tabitha, Bobby, Amara, Storm, Riesman, Jean and X-23, can't help but blink before Sam speaks up.

"I'm sorry, friend, but I'm afraid I've never heard of what you said you pilot."

"_Ja_, neither have I, dude." Kurt notices Shinji's shudder before frowning. "Is something the matter?"

"I'm sorry, Kurt, but I'm afraid the last German I met turned out to be an abusive, egomaniac redheaded girl." Kurt can't help but wince before gently approaching Shinji.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that experience, Shinji." Shinji can only shrug before Kurt extends his hand. "Can we at least try to make a bridge, find some kind of common ground?"

"I'd like that, Kurt." Shinji extends his hand in turn and the two shake hands before smiling softly at each other. Kitty's voice then breaks the silence.

"Now that we've, like, reached some kind of accord, could someone, like, please tell us what's going on here? I'm sure, like, everyone's in the dark like I am."

Jean opens her mouth to speak, but sees Shinji shaking his head. Nodding her assent, Jean listens intently as Shinji tells them everything. His forcible conscription into a battle for the survival of humanity in a post 2nd Impact world, endless synch tests to ensure he can Pilot effectively, rare friendships amongst his peers…

Needless to say, the reactions he gets from everyone are horrified dismay, anger toward those that would use him in such a manner and outright sorrow for him to have seen so much at a tender age.

"Seeing as I'm a regular human, and without Evangelion to keep me busy, I'm pretty much useless here."

"_Nein_, Shinji. Don't you dare ever say that again. It doesn't matter that you're a regular human. Our school exists for the aim of regular humans and mutants to coexist peacefully. Your Piloting Evangelion is but a job, not something to base your life on."

"I'm with Kurt on this one, Shinji." Rogue's voice gets Shinji's attention as the Southern girl steps to beside her brother. "Ya Piloting Evangelion may be crucial to yer world's survival, but that's no way to live. Take it from me, I've been there quite often. Looking for a purpose when my 'powers' restrict human contact."

"I suggest you listen to 'Stripes' there, Shinji." Logan's voice from the doorway gets everyone to look and see Logan, Fury, Xavier, Scott and Beast walking into the room. "I mean, take Cyclops and Beast for example. Cyclops' eyes project a powerful beam based on sunlight, but he has to wear those glasses or a visor to keep them under control."

"That must suck." Scott nods in agreement with Shinji before Logan goes on.

"McCoy here couldn't control his mutation anymore. Yet he retains his smarts and has added agility." Beast can't help but give a smirk before speaking up.

"What about you, Logan? A fragmented memory, yet you're a capable fighter that heals quite fast."

"And I lost the use of my legs, but my abilities are strong. At first manifestation of a mutant's abilities, anonymity, if possible, is a mutant's best bet due to them meeting with hostility should their abilities become general knowledge." Fury nods in agreement at that before stepping toward Shinji.

"As for you being useless, I've an idea that'll knock that idea right out of your mind. Cooking, cleaning and playing the cello are well and good. If you're good enough as a cook in life, you can open your own restaurant. If you're good with a cello, you can play with an orchestra. Cleaning is also important as it'll let you keep track of things you don't want to lose. But that's not your main concern, is it?"

"No, sir." Fury's hands on his shoulders get Shinji's attention before the man smiles softly.

"I've a program in mind for youths like you. Quite frankly, you fit the criteria perfectly. What I have in mind will raise your self-esteem far more than what you did before." Seeing Shinji blink curiously, Fury smirks and asks, "How would you like to be a Junior Operative for SHIELD?"


	4. Chapter 4

Evolution Shinji 4

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

_(Brotherhood House of Bayville; same time)_

As the teen girl sits at the kitchen table, she's faintly aware of the small male form watching her from the doorway. While ordinarily he gives her the creeps, she knows he's been worried about her ever since her Father vanished on live television.

"I'm fine, Toad. There's no need to worry about me."

"I know, Wanda. I just want… to try helping you, yo." Unbidden, a soft smile crosses Wanda's lips that she keeps on. Thankful she's not facing him.

"If I need help, you'll be the first one I ask, Toad."

"Even ahead of Pietro, yo?" Wanda's soft smile can't help but become a smirk at that.

"Even ahead of Pietro." Curious, she then asks, "Speaking of, where is that extremely-hyper twin brother of mine at?"

"Knowing Pietro, he's out running around, wreaking havoc wherever he goes, yo. Emphasis on 'running', of course." Wanda can't help it. A small snort escapes her before she regains her composure.

"Of course. That'd be just like him." A moment of silence passes between the two before she asks, "Without Father around, what'll become of us? We can't very well join the X-Men. Especially given our history with them." Toad's sad sigh gets a small reduction in her smile. "I thought as much." Next thing they know, a knock is heard on the door. Hearing Toad's footsteps softly recede away from the doorway, she can't help but think, 'Thanks for trying, Todd.'

As he steps to the main doorway, Toad's slapping himself softly on his forehead, repeatedly, while muttering the same thing over and over again.

"Out 'running' around… Out 'running' around… Out 'running' around…" Bringing an end to it, he shakes his head, asking, "Why couldn't I have said something else?" As he nears the main door, he sees a familiar, tall shadowy form through the frosted glass window and sighs. "If I can't cheer her up, I doubt Ms Harkness can." Opening the door, he puts on his smile and says, "Hello, Ms Harkness."

"Hello, Toad." Looking down at the young mutant with semi-kind eyes, the elder woman asks, "Is Wanda in?"

"Yes, ma'am. But she's in a bad spot right now, yo. You know?"

"I'd figured as much. Pietro?"

"You know Pietro. He's always up to something, yo." Ms Harkness gives him a soft nod in understanding before he adds, "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to Wanda, yo."

"Thank you, Toad." Giving her a nod as she steps into the house, he gently closes the door before stepping to her side and hearing her speak again as they walk to the kitchen. "How about yourself, Alvers and Dukes? It can't be easy on you either. Even with the death of Mystique before Magneto vanished." Toad mulls it over before giving his reply.

"We're barely holding on, yo. I know I'm a weakling, and the team's whipping boy, but I can't help but feel this bleak existence ain't us, yo. You know?"

"Oh yes, Toad. I know exactly how you feel as I've been there myself quite a few times." Once they reach the kitchen's doorway, Toad steps to in front of Ms Harkness. Slightly amusing her. "Are you trying to shield me, Toad?"

"Maybe a little, yo. But I'm mainly gonna see if Wanda's up to a visitor." Hearing the woman softly chuckle gets him to smile softly before he steps into the kitchen. "Um, Wanda, Ms Harkness is here to see you, yo. Are you up for her company?"

"I can make time, Toad. Thank you."

"You're welcome, yo." Facing Ms Harkness, Toad gives her a nod, with the woman returning the nod.

"Thank you, Toad. But, keep this in mind. There's more than one kind of strength. You're strong of heart, that's the most important kind of strength to have. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." With that, Ms Harkness enters the kitchen and Toad walks away from the doorway, intent on occupying his time with pondering what Ms Harkness told him. Meanwhile…

"How have you been, Wanda?" The young woman sighs before shrugging.

"I'm still coming to grips over what had happened to Father, Agatha." The elder woman gives Wanda a soft nod before she asks, "Why do I have the feeling there's more to your visit, Agatha?"

"Because there is, Wanda." Taking a seat across from Wanda, she goes on. "Ebony and I sensed a recent disturbance on our plane of existence." Wanda's eyebrows can't help but arch upward before looking around for the black cat that's hardly ever away from her mentor. With Agatha noticing it. "Ebony's at home. The poor thing was yowling all through the evening into the night into this morning until finally falling asleep."

"Ebony was disturbed that much to do that? It's not like Ebony, at all." Agatha gives her a concerned nod before Wanda asks, "What're we, maybe, looking at?"

"An otherworldly intrusion into our plane of existence. Emphasis on 'otherworldly', of course. And I don't think the netherworld's involved, either." Wanda can't help but be stunned at Agatha's implication.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying, Agatha?"

"Yes, Wanda. For at the time of the disturbance, I saw images I'd never seen before. Three massive titans, blue, purple and red in color. Children within the titans facing off against foes not even of this, or any other, world. And, for some weird reason, a penguin that lives like a pet in a freezer."

"Well, penguins live in cold climes, after all. So it's not really weird it lives like a pet in a freezer." Shrugging her shoulders, she adds, "Just unusual."

"What about a freezer with a small door at the bottom and a small scale living room within the freezer? With the penguin constantly drinking beer?" Wanda's eyebrows can't help but arch up closer to her hairline.

"Now that is weird. Really weird." Curious, she then asks, "Were you able to see any of the faces of the children?"

"No, I only managed to see their outlines. Two female forms and one male form. Though something about one of the female forms doesn't quite feel… natural about it. But I did learn one thing. Their courage for those so young is commendable, yet worrisome." Wanda can't help but gasp at seeing Agatha's eyes shed tears.

"Whatever was going on in that plane of existence, defies all logic." Feeling Wanda's arms wrap around her tentatively, Agatha can't help but break down. Clutching onto her pupil as if for dear life, she wails. Unbidden, Wanda's eyes can't help but tear up for her mentor as she holds Agatha close.

'I promise, Agatha, I'll help you through this!'

_(Xavier Institute; same time)_

Shinji can't help but be stunned at Fury's query. Shaking it off internally, he meekly points back toward himself.

"Me, sir?" At Fury's nod, Shinji mulls it over before asking, "What would I be doing as a Junior Operative, sir?"

"Maybe 'Junior Operative' is too strong a term. It's more like along the lines of an Explorer program of sorts. I don't know if you're familiar with the concept back in your world or not, but basically the intent is we'd identify potential Agents through observation or contact. If they're interested, they'd go into a training program to instill confidence and self-esteem. With me so far?"

"I am, sir." Fury nods in approval before Shinji asks, "How soon do you need an answer? The last time I went into something blindly…"

"I understand. Deliberate carefully because the program will be hard. But ultimately worth it."

"It sounds good, sir." Curiously, he asks, "How long have you been thinking about it?"

"Twenty years, but political red tape is a nightmare to get through. And don't get me started on the Oversight Committee for SHIELD. Bean counters, the lot of them. None of them have Law Enforcement or Military experience."

"One would think that experience is crucial for that kind of thing." Shinji's comment can't help but get a grin from Fury.

"My thoughts exactly. Which is why I'm giving it a 'go' on its own merits." Reaching into a pocket on his jumpsuit, he brings out a small pin and hands it to Shinji. Once it's in hand, Shinji gets a look at it. Round, with a blue background and a golden eagle, its face turned to the left side from Shinji's perspective.

"Keep that hidden somewhere on your person. Once you've made your decision, push the center of the pin and the nearest SHIELD Agent will pick you up for transport." Shinji nods before Fury asks, "Any questions about the program?"

"Um, yes." Tentatively, he asks, "Is the eyepatch part of the uniform?" Fury's good eye blinks once before Shinji goes on. "I mean, it works for you, sir, but I don't think an eyepatch would work as well for me." On the outside, Fury's stunned, but on the inside, he's laughing his butt off. With a gentle smile on his outer face, Fury shakes his head.

"I gotta admit, Shinji, you're the first person to ask me that. While it's a relevant question, I'm afraid I wear the eyepatch out of necessity." Shinji's eyes go wide in shock before he quickly looks down toward the floor. "Never look down, son. Even if you feel lousy or like you've disrespected someone. Clear?"

"Yes, sir." Next thing he knows, Fury puts his right hand under his chin and gently lifts up until his eyes meet Fury's one. Smile still on his face.

"I wear this eyepatch with honor, secure with the knowledge that the one responsible paid dearly for its loss. As for it not working as well for you, I don't know about that. It would make you look bad-ass." Shinji can't help but smile weakly before Fury asks, "Anything else you want to address?"

"What would I do as a SHIELD Explorer?"

"Mainly you'd be going through a mild training/confidence course for starters as a diagnostic tool to gauge your fitness level. We'd then tailor it to your current level, with daily additions to the regimen as needed. You'd also learn to observe and watch for activity that may be detrimental to national, international or planetary safety." Before Shinji can even ask, he adds, "You'd be shown examples of such activity, so no need to worry about making a bad call on down the line."

"But what if it turns out to be a bad call?"

"In my experience, son, the only bad call is not reporting a possibly detrimental situation. Sometimes, there'll be such times where it'll happen, but at least you'd know for certain one way or the other. If that happens, don't let it get you down. Okay?"

"Yes, sir." Thinking about it, he then asks, "How long will the training take?"

"Well, for Explorers, the training lasts four weeks. After that, well, it's an ongoing process. Every day is a learning experience." Shinji nods at that, remembering full well what his time at NERV entailed. Fury notices it and asks, "Remembering your time at NERV?"

"Yes, sir." His left hand shaking slightly before he clenches it to keep it still as he adds, "Some of it was helpful, but not by much. I had nearly every day synch tests that'd last for hours on end, in battle I'd feel what damage the Evangelion takes during the battle. My first time fighting an Angel, I did it without prior training."

"How much of that battle do you recall?"

"Not very much, sir. The instant Unit-01 sustained serious damage by the '3rd Angel', I blacked out. The '3rd Angel' was my first battle." Outwardly, Fury doesn't show it, but he's furious on the inside.

'Putting a child into a bio-mechanical weapon is one thing, but to use your own son without prior preparation?! You better hope we don't meet, Gendo Ikari! Because if we do, I'll be more than happy to send you to meet that crazy fucker Strucker!'

In the background, Logan and X-23 are popping the claws in their hands in and out in dead synch. Scott's devising ways to give Gendo a sunburn by his eyes. Jean's entertaining the thought of levitating sharp implements toward Gendo with accuracy. Ororo's eyes are glowing white with lightning flashing in them. Charles is pondering reducing Gendo's mental age to that of a six year old girl. The others, however…

'Gendo's so getting a time bomb down his shorts!'

'I've always wanted to try my hand at making an ice sculpture and Gendo'd make a perfect reference point!'

'When I get my bare hands on Gendo, I ain't lettin' go! I'd get every bit of his filthy mind, but at least he won't hurt anyone again!'

'I wonder how Gendo'd like some electro-shock therapy!'

'We ever meet, I'm, like, phasing him right into somewhere out of reach!'

'I'm normally not mean, but I do believe it would do for Gendo to be barbecued in lava!'

'I ever come across Gendo, I'm incinerating his ass!'

'My dupes and I'll swamp him so badly, he'd be in a cast for decades!'

'Pa said we should not be the hurtful kind, but I don't think he'd mind if I brought Gendo through a wall or five!' Kurt, McCoy and Riesman, however, can only collectively sigh before Kurt softly opens.

"Is it just me, or are they becoming scary beyond all belief?"

"I'm afraid, Kurt, that it's not just you. They are becoming scary beyond all belief. Of course, were I so inclined, I'd be joining in as well. Dr Riesman, what's your opinion?"

"I'll put it to you like this. I can only hope HYDRA never comes across him as they'd hire him to do cruel things to others."

"You mean they'd find him useful?" At her nod, Kurt can only shake his head. "I don't know what's scarier. The others hurting 'him' or HYDRA bringing 'him' on board." McCoy can only sigh before giving his reply.

"I agree, Kurt. It's a very close call."

_(Bayville Diner; same time)_

The slender, Japanese-descended girl looks down at her strawberry milkshake, a sad look on her face, before she says one thing.

"_Baka."_ Putting the straw into her mouth, she takes a soft slurp of her shake before swallowing. She resumes gazing down at her shake before her eyes start shimmering with tears of shamed sorrow. _"Why?"_

"Taryn?" The girl looks up toward the male voice and smiles faintly. "It's been a while."

"It has, Paul. How've you been?"

"I've been better. You?"

"Same." Watching as Paul sits across from her, she sees he has a concerned expression on his face. "What is it?"

"I was about to ask you that, Taryn. I saw you through the window, with a sad look on your face. So I thought I'd see if I can try to cheer you up." Taryn can only smile thankfully at Paul before he asks, "Thinking about Scott?" Taryn can't help but blink before chuckling softly.

"I'm not even going to ask how you came to that line of thought." Sighing, she nods. "Yeah. Scott's been on my mind lately. Ever since the Institute was revealed as a mutant dormitory, and I shunned Scott when I saw him on the news… I messed up, Paul. Big time."

"Yeah, I kinda gathered that from your frown." A moment of silence passes between them before Taryn speaks again.

"Why couldn't Scott have told us? I mean, how hard can it be?" Paul can't help but shrug at her query.

"I imagine working that into a conversation would be difficult for anyone mutant. I mean, how do you plan to start a conversation if you're a mutant? 'I have a powerful ability that if not under control, people can get hurt and I don't want that for you'. That may be an ice breaker for certain, but something to keep in mind."

"I know. Mutants are being attacked in the news and physically." Taryn growls angrily as she adds, "I'm so… disgusted… with myself. I should've been mature enough to accept Scott, Jean and their friends at the Institute. But no. Instead, I did what everyone else did and turned my back on them."

"How long did you feel like that?"

"I'd say ever since Scott and the others were revealed to be mutants. How about you? You haven't spoken with Scott lately either, have you?"

"Nah, been meaning to though. I mean, I was shocked when Scott and the others were revealed to be mutants. Then when the whole world went so nutso over everything mutant-related, I decided to look at the big picture. Mutants are as human as we are. They just have something extra that makes them all the more unique." Taryn can't help but be awed at that.

"That's very mature of you, Paul. I just wish I was as mature to begin with. Maybe then… things wouldn't be so weird."

"Here's something for you to keep in mind, Taryn. 'There are three certainties in life. Death, taxes and weirdness. If you can handle the first two, why not the third?'. That's the way it goes." Taryn can't help but smirk before giggling.

"No it doesn't, Paul! You changed one word, added another word and a question at the end!" Her giggles keep going on as Paul smiles widely.

"I figured that'd get you to laugh, or at the least giggle, so I ran with it." Taryn's giggles become torso-bending laughter that's music to his ears. Three minutes later, her mirth expended, Taryn comes back upright, a wide smile on her face. Along with tears of mirth.

"Thank you, Paul. I think I needed that."

"Part of the job, Taryn." Watching as Taryn leans back in her seat, he asks, "What say we go see them?" Taryn can't help but blink at that.

"Now?" At his nod, Taryn chews her lower lip before asking, "What if they're holding a grudge?"

"Somehow, I don't think Scott, Jean or the others are the kind to hold a grudge at all. They've got enough on their plate as it is. What with learning to control their powers, trying to show us regular humans we can live together peacefully… that kinda thing." Taryn nods at that before smiling.

"Sure. I just hope our friendships can be renewed."

"I think far as they're concerned, they never ended. They just wanted to let you sort it out."


	5. Chapter 5

Evolution Shinji 5

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

_(Brotherhood House; same time)_

Once Agatha's regained her composure, she looks toward Wanda and smiles sadly.

"You're so strong, my pupil." Wanda can only blush sheepishly before Agatha goes on. "As to what happened, I must consult with my tomes. If it is indeed a cross-dimensional incident, I must see if I can find a spell that's a rough equivalent so the one that came through can be returned if it's wished."

"Okay. What do I do, Agatha?"

"Just stay aware, Wanda. The incursion into our plane is disturbing enough, but there's no reason for hostility." Before Wanda can even reply, a loud crash is heard from the basement. The crash is then followed by a familiar voice.

"Darn!" Both women share a bewildered blink at Toad's voice before Wanda sighs.

"I'm afraid to even wonder what that maniac's up to now." Getting up from the table, she adds, "But I gotta be sure the place is still going to be standing if we're going to be living here."

"I agree, Wanda. But, don't you think 'maniac' is too strong a word to describe Toad?"

"No. It fits him quite well." With that, they both go toward the basement and hear Toad yelling out.

"BANZAI! WHOA!" Another audible crash occurs before his voice wafts up to them. "I gotta be missing something here, yo!"

As they reach and descend the staircase, they see Toad peering into a book. Unable to see the type of book it is, they look around and see broken crates on the floor before looking back toward him as he mutters.

"Did that. Did that too. That. That. Hmm. I don't get it, yo. I'm doing what the book's saying, but I'm screwing up somewhere, yo."

"Toad?" Wanda's query gets him to drop the book before turning toward her. Wide smile on his face. "Just what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to learn karate, yo. But…" Looking around at the devastation, he adds, "I think I'm missing something, even though I'm following the book exactly, yo."

Unseen by him, Wanda's lips can't help but curl into a soft, yet slightly amused, smile, with Agatha struggling to keep from laughing in amusement. Both regain their composure in time to see him pick the book back up before leafing through it.

"Let's try something else here, yo." Seeing something that catches his eyes, he pores over it carefully before nodding. "Okay. Let's try this. Though the lack of legs on the dummy is troublesome, yo."

Stepping over to a torso mannequin on a thin rod-type pedestal, he steps around it before crouching low to the ground. He then swings his body around. Agatha and Wanda can only watch as his leg makes contact with the rod.

"EEYYAAHH!" Both females can't help but wince as the mannequin Toad had just kicked falls over and lands on his back. Sending him down hard, onto the concrete floor. "OOOFFF!" Prying himself slowly out from underneath the mannequin, he gripes out, "Aw nuts! That wasn't supposed to happen, yo!" From her position, Wanda lets out a sigh.

"I'd better get some ice and the First Aid kit. We're probably going to need it sooner or later." Agatha can only nod as Wanda goes up the steps before clearing her throat. When Toad hears her throat clearing, he turns toward her.

"Yes, Ms Harkness?"

"Toad, why are you trying to teach yourself karate?"

"I'm tired of being the team weakling, yo. I thought about what you said and, well, strong of heart's not exactly enough for me. I want to be stronger in another way. A way where I can be useful for a change, yo." Shrugging, he adds, "Besides, it's not like there are any dojos around here that'll take mutant students, yo. So what choice do I have?"

"Okay. Where'd you get that book from?"

"Oh, I found it in the box under the staircase there. I initially thought it was about a guy named 'Karate', which would've been really weird if it was, yo." Agatha can't help but let a giggle escape before shaking her head.

"Oh, Toad." Seeing him smile sheepishly, she then asks, "So when did you figure out it wasn't about a guy named 'Karate'? Which, by the way, I agree would have been really weird."

"As soon as I opened the book to the first page, yo." Agatha nods, a soft smile on her face as Toad returns his attention to the book. "I'll just save that for when I find a pair of legs for the mannequin, yo. Or, I can just make them. Shouldn't be too hard, yo." Meanwhile…

Humming softly as she brings out the ice in the freezer and putting it into a cooler she'd found, Wanda can't help but giggle at Toad's constant attempts. Nodding at having put enough ice into the cooler, she begins looking for the F.A. kit. Next thing she knows, a burst of wind announces her twin brother's arrival.

"Hey, Pietro."

"Wanda." The silver-haired teen can't help but arch his eyebrows before asking, "What's with the ice?"

"It's going to be for Toad for when he gets done." Frowning at not seeing the kit in the cupboard to her right, she then asks, "Have you seen the First Aid kit, Pietro?"

"Uh, yeah. Cupboard two doors down to your left." Wanda absently nods before looking in the cupboard Pietro specified. She then smiles widely before bringing it out. Pietro then shrugs and asks, "So what is the little loon doing now?"

"He's teaching himself karate. Oh, and he's not really a loon. He's just misunderstood." Next thing they both know, Toad yells out.

"EEYYAAHH!" When a crash is heard, his voice comes back, albeit somewhat cheerful. "Missed it by that much, yo!"

"And what do you call that, Wanda? It sure as heck can't be 'normal' with him."

"Okay, I admit he's a little odd. But if anyone should know that, Pietro, it's you, Lance and 'Blob'. After all, you've lived with him far longer than I have." Pietro's eyes can't help but go wide before he incredulously chuckles.

"A 'little' odd? Wanda, he's a whack job." Seeing her hand glowing blue, Pietro scoffs. "What're you gonna do, Wanda? Hex me?"

"Don't tempt me, Pietro. Toad's not a whack job, for your information. He may be annoying with his infatuation with me, but at the same time, he can be… kind of sweet." Her cheeks go softly pink at that, which alarms Pietro to no end.

"Wanda… have you lost your mind?"

"And if I did, so what, Pietro? While you guys are out doing whatever it is you do, Toad's been watching over me. To be sure I'm okay. At first, it was annoying, but now… now it's different."

Pietro's reaction is not what she expects. His frame starts shaking as his face breaks into a grin, with laughter starting to bubble. Without a further word, he bolts back out the door. Wanda sighing audibly with his departure.

"No good can come out of what Pietro does next." Pietro's crazed laughter wafting over the horizon gets her to shake her head. Next thing she knows, a familiar voice wafts through the still open door.

"Wanda? Toad?"

Smiling softly at Lance's voice, Wanda steps into the kitchen's doorway in time to see a tall thin young man with a mullet-style haircut and a large young man with a scorched Mohawk-style haircut. The one with the mullet nods at Wanda before looking around.

"Where's Toad at?"

"In the basement. Agatha's watching over him while I get the supplies ready." The one with the scorched Mohawk blinks at that before speaking up.

"For what, Wanda? Is it something to do with Pietro's crazed laughter?"

"I'm afraid so. Go on downstairs, Lance, Fred. I'll be right behind you." Wanda nods her head toward the basement door before ducking back into the kitchen. Lance and Fred look to each other before shrugging and doing what she said. As they descend the staircase, they see Agatha sitting on the fourth step from the bottom, watching Toad as he leafs through a book.

"Mr Alvers, Mr Dukes." Agatha's voice gets Toad's attention before he looks and smiles upon seeing his surrogate big 'brothers'.

"Hey Lance, Freddie. How was your day, yo?"

"It was fine, Todd." Lance looks around the basement and can't help but wince at all the damaged items. "I'm about afraid to ask, but I gotta. What're you doing?"

"I'm trying to teach myself karate, but I seem to be missing something. Even though I'm following the book, yo."

Lance and Fred both look at each other before smirking softly. Not out of malice or spite, but because what he's doing is too much like him. Even for him for when it comes to trying new things. Fred then turns to Agatha, curiosity evident in his features.

"What do you think off-hand, Ms Harkness?"

"Despite my lack of knowledge in the martial arts, Mr Dukes, I'm quite familiar with the concept of self-determination. Mr Tolensky wanting to improve himself is admirable, without a doubt. As long as he perseveres, and avoid getting hurt badly, he could become formidable. By the way, was that Mr Maximoff's laughter I heard over the horizon?"

"Yeah, that was 'Quickie'. Of course, can't really say I'm surprised." Lance grunts before he adds, "That guy would find any reason to laugh at Toad's expense."

"Yeah, that's Pietro alright." Wanda's voice behind them gets everyone to look her way. "Toad, when he gets back, whatever you do, don't let what Pietro says get to you. Okay?"

"Okay, Wanda." Returning his attention to the book, he leafs through it again before stopping at a page. Grinning as he pores over it before nodding. "This should work without a problem, yo."

Looking around, he sees an intact crate and goes over to it. When he gets to it, he gets onto his knees before bending repeatedly toward the crate. Lance, Agatha, Fred and Wanda can only watch uneasily before Toad smacks his lips and screams out.

"EEYYAAHH!"

Flinging his head forward with great force, he shatters the crate's cover. Blinking to get his bearings back, he notices he'd succeeded before grinning widely as he turns to face them.

"Hey, I did it, yo." Only to fall back onto the floor, dazed, his eyes going in circles. Grin still on his face.

Wanda and the others then let out a collective sigh before Lance and Fred vault the railing to go to the side of their 'little brother' while Wanda and Agatha go down the steps. When they get to him, they can't help but shake their heads before grinning softly.

"At least he had one success. Sort of." Fred's soft words get them to nod in agreement before Wanda goes to her knees at his side. Hoping he hadn't broken his skull, she gently runs her fingers along his head. Feeling no wet spots, she sighs in relief.

"Looks like he's only knocked himself out. He should be awake again pretty soon. However, we should do concussion checks every two hours until he fully regains his senses. Shifts of four hours among the three of us so we can get some rest. And no moving him either. Lance, get a blanket from upstairs so we can cover him with it."

"You got it, Wanda." Smiling softly down at Toad before shaking his head, Lance goes upstairs.

"What do I do, Wanda?"

"He's been trying to teach himself for who knows how long, Fred. When he wakes back up, he won't have much of an appetite, so make him something light to eat."

"I can do that." He then lumbers toward the staircase, shaking his head. "Never thought Toad would have such a hard head." As he ascends the staircase, he sees Lance coming back to the doorway. Blanket in hand. "That was quick." Lance's smirk gets him to smirk right back. "You mean…"

"Swiped it from Mystique's room."

"Sweet." Frowning slightly, he asks, "Is Pietro still laughing?"

"I did a check while I was getting the blanket." Rolling his eyes as he and Fred change places, Lance adds, "You bet he's still laughing. One of these days, that idiot's going to laugh himself to death."

_(Paul and Taryn; same time)_

As Paul and Taryn walk toward the Xavier Institute, Taryn can't help but frown slightly at the sound of crazed, high-pitched laughter. Paul hears the laughter as well before shaking his head, sighing in the process.

"Sounds like Maximoff found something utterly hilarious."

"Which one, though? There are two Maximoffs in the area after all, Paul."

"Pietro." Seeing Taryn blink at him out the corner of his left eye, he asks, "Have you ever heard Wanda laugh like that?"

"No, come to think of it. For that matter, I don't think I ever heard her laugh period." Pietro's crazed laughter gets her to roll her eyes before she adds, "Whatever it was must've been a doozy."

"Yeah. He's been laughing nonstop for… let's see." Checking his watch, Paul arches his eyebrows before going on. "Going on ten minutes now." Snorting, he adds, "Or maybe he decided to try playing with nitrous oxide and his prolonged laughter is the result of it." Taryn can only shrug as a blue BMW convertible pulls up to a stop alongside them.

"Hey, Fujioka! Haits!" The two stop, turn toward the feminine voice and see an attractive, slender Caucasian blond behind the wheel. "How've you guys been?!" Taryn smiles softly at the blond before giving her reply.

"We've been okay, Cindy. You?"

"Just glad to finally be out of school." Taryn and Paul both nod their agreement as Cindy goes on. "I thought I'd cruise around town in my car before I go to tour FSU the day after tomorrow." Curious, she then asks, "Are you two on a date or something?" Paul and Taryn both lightly blush before Paul clears his throat.

"Nah. We're just on our way to see some friends we hadn't talked to in a while."

"Oh? But you guys have been to the parties over the last two weeks and your friends are always there." Cindy's eyes suddenly go wide before she gasps. "You can't possibly mean… Summers and Grey, can you?" Taryn can't help before chuckle before nodding.

"That we do, Cindy."

"But… But… they're mutant weirdoes, Taryn! They'd been hiding that for who knows how long!"

"You know what happens to mutants that come out into the open, Cindy." Paul's reply gets Cindy's attention before he goes on. "Plus, how could they have told us in a conversation anyway? That's not exactly an easy conversation to find the words for."

"That's beside the point, Paul!" Huffing, Cindy snorts. "Pfft, fine. If you two want to be social pariahs with the freaks, then consider your invitations to my departure party invalidated!" Paul and Taryn both look to each other and nod, with Taryn looking back at Cindy.

"We don't really have a huge problem with that, Moore_-san_. Your parties were always too heavy on liquor and carnality anyway, so it's not a complete loss."

Cindy lets off a scoff before slamming her foot down onto the accelerator. As her drive tires scream on the pavement, the BMW sways to the left before speeding off. As Paul and Taryn wave the smell of burnt rubber away from their noses, Paul looks down onto the pavement before shaking his head.

"Apparently Cindy forgot that tires need tread to maintain their grip on the road. She keeps that up, she's either going to get a ticket for being a public nuisance with that racket or shell out big bucks for new tires. Whichever comes first." Taryn gives a nod before giggling. With Paul catching it. "What is it, Taryn?"

"What Cindy asked us earlier. If we were on a date." Taryn gives another giggle as she adds, "I guess we would look like we were on a date if anyone saw us walking together." Paul nods in agreement, a soft blush on his face as they resume walking. Taryn then lightly frowns before saying, "I don't hear any more laughter." Blinking, Paul listens before nodding.

"Sounds like he's finally stopped. Must've happened while we were becoming pariahs in Cindy's eyes."

"Must have." Chewing her lower lip thoughtfully, she asks, "Do you think Scott and Jean would mind if you and I were to try dating?"

"I'm sure they'd be happy for us. As… well… I…" Paul's voice trails off shyly, getting Taryn to smile softly before gently taking his hand into hers. "I guess we're a 'go', then."

"We are, Paul_-kun_."

Three minutes later, they walk through the open gateway of the Institute and walk up to the front door. Giving each other a nod, they both use their free hands to knock on the door. A minute later, the door opens, revealing an angrily frowning Scott.

"Scott?" Scott's frown vanishes quickly, a stunned look appearing on his face.

"Taryn. Paul." The stunned look becomes a smile when he looks at their conjoined hands. "It's about time, you two." Taryn and Paul both blink before looking at their hands and grin.

"Yeah, it is, man." Extending his right hand to Scott, Paul adds, "Sorry we haven't been talking much, man. But I was in shock… and the world going nutso with your revelations… I had to take time to absorb it all." Scott gives him a grin and firmly grasps it with his right hand.

"It's okay, Paul. Shock often does take a while to process through." The two end their handshake before Taryn sighs.

"Scott, I disgraced myself when I broke up with and shunned you when you were revealed to be a mutant. I deeply apologize for any hurt you and Jean suffered as a result."

"I accept your apology, Taryn, if you'll accept mine for not telling you about my ability."

"You don't have to apologize, Scott. You had to keep yourself under wraps so you can live as normal a life as possible. It certainly can't have been easy for you, can it?"

"At first, no. But we have a strong support system here in each other." Stepping aside, he adds, "C'mon in. I'm sure Jean would love to see you two together. Finally." Taryn and Paul both go beet red as they enter the Institute. As Scott closes the door, Taryn remembers his frown from earlier.

"What happened, Scott? You looked so angry when you opened the door." She can't help but notice him clenching his right fist before she says, "Scott, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" Much to her relief, he stops clenching his fist and sighs.

"Sorry, Taryn. It's a long unpleasant story that's not even mine to tell, but someone else's. We'd just finished hearing it and… I don't think I can stand to hear it a second time."

"It's that bad, man?"

"It's that bad, Paul." Taryn musters up her nerve before speaking up.

"Can you give us a basic idea of what happened? Please, Scott." Scott mulls it over before sighing.

"Okay. But you two likely won't like the picture it paints." Seeing them nod in understanding, he goes on. "Picture a world devastated by a massive disaster that killed millions of people. That same world is then being attacked by giant aliens that want to obliterate the rest of humanity. The only thing standing between life and outright doom for humanity are three children. These children pilot fearsome bio-mechanical constructs to do battle with the aliens. These brave children, brave before they're even expected to be, are in a never-ending fight to the death when they should be living like normal children." His composure cracking, he adds, "One of the children had never even been trained prior to his first battle and the one most responsible for him being in that situation is his own Father." Taryn and Paul are horrified and angered beyond all belief.

"What kind of scumbag uses his own kid like that when adults should be fighting these aliens?!"

"Here's why children are used to pilot the constructs, Paul. It seems that only those born after the disaster can pilot these constructs." Seeing Taryn with an angry frown on her face, Scott nods in agreement. "I know, Taryn. The others weren't happy about his story either. We even have interesting ideas for his Father should he ever cross our paths."

"I don't doubt that." Grinning sinisterly, she adds, "Daddy gave me my first katana when I turned 9 years old. I don't think he'd mind if it had a taste of the scumbag's blood from his nether regions." Blinking, she asks, "You mean one of the children that pilot those things is here?!"

"Yeah. He arrived last night and Director Fury extended an offer for him to take part in an Explorer program for SHIELD. It's his choice, of course." Taryn's eyes can't help but shed tears of sorrow for the boy.

"Take us to him, Scott." Her voice trembling, tears still falling, she switches to Japanese and only says one word. _"Onegai."_ Scott nods and leads Paul and Taryn toward the common room.

'Sorry, Shinji, but at least you seem to have gotten two more allies.'


	6. Chapter 6

Evolution Shinji 6

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

As they follow Scott along the hallway of the Institute, Taryn and Paul both can't help but wonder one thing.

'How'd he get here from there to begin with?' Next thing they know, they hear Jean's voice in their heads.

'_I'm afraid that not even Shinji knows, Taryn and Paul.'_ Startled, they both smirk, with Taryn taking it.

'I thought you don't go into people's minds unless you really have to.'

'_I didn't. Your thoughts were at scan-level. Much like your fantasy right now of snogging Paul in full view of everyone else.'_ Taryn's face goes beet red, with Paul's following suit, before Jean adds, _'You two would make a lovely couple, Taryn. Paul, treat her right.'_

'I will, Jean.' Intertwining his fingers with Taryn's, with her returning the gesture, he adds, 'I promise.' At that point, they reach the common room and Taryn lets out a gasp upon seeing him.

'He could be… like a little brother to me!' Seeing Jean nod softly, Taryn returns the nod before smiling softly at him. _"Fujioka Taryn."_ The boy blinks at her speaking Japanese before smiling softly.

"_Ikari Shinji."_ Taryn looks him over before frowning.

"_When's the last time you ate, Shinji-kun? You're thin as a rail."_ Shinji can't help but sheepishly chuckle at that.

"_I was just asked that a short while ago and I responded that it had been about four hours before my fight against the '12__th__ Angel', Taryn-chan."_ Taryn's smile doesn't falter as she wraps her mind around it.

"_Why were they called 'Angels' if they were trying to wipe out humanity?"_

"_It was what NERV called them. I've probably been given up for dead or, if they'd recovered Unit-01 and saw I wasn't in the plug anymore, a deserter by now, though. So let's not talk about that anymore. Okay?"_ Taryn can only nod just before Shinji's stomach growls. Audibly. Shinji's face goes so red, Taryn can't help but smile softly at him.

"_I think you're long overdue to eat, Shinji-kun."_

"_It would appear so, Taryn-chan."_ Turning to Professor Xavier, he switches to English and asks, "Do you mind if I cook lunch for today?"

"Not at all, Shinji. In fact, I'd like to see exactly how good you are at it."

"I'm pretty good, or so Misato and Asuka say. If she'd like, I was going to offer to teach X-23 to cook as well anyway. Unless, of course, she already knows how to." X-23's face can't help but go beet red, but with a soft smile.

"I've never cooked before, Shinji. Anything I ate in the wilderness, I ate as was. No preparation. This'll be an experience."

"Okay. Shall we, X-23?" Nodding, X-23 and Shinji both walk toward the kitchen. Rogue and Tabitha both blink before turning to each other and smirking.

"Ya thinkin' what I'm thinkin', Tabby?"

"He'll have to meet the Brotherhood at some point in time. Why not make it sooner than later?" The two slowly sidle away until they hear Scott clearing his throat.

"Just where do you two think you're going?"

"Just going to see the guys, see if they'd like to meet Shinji. I mean, he'll come across them eventually, so why not sooner than later?"

"No, Rogue. He's been through enough lunacy for the day as it is. Those Brotherhood maniacs will only exacerbate it even more. He can meet them another time." Taryn's eyes suddenly go wide as she remembers earlier.

"By the way, Scott, Paul and I heard Pietro Maximoff laughing like he was crazy. A little over 10 minutes, without stopping." Scott, Rogue and Tabitha's eyes can't help but blink at that tidbit. "I don't know if he's resumed yet or not, though."

"I suppose a check-in on them won't be so bad. Provided, of course, they're all not laughing as well."

"Then I guess we'll find out. C'mon, Rogue." Nodding as she follows Tabitha to the main door, Rogue can't help but roll her eyes.

"Never thought I'd think about introducing those maniacs to a newcomer. Especially one that pretty much had the same kind of life they did. Only not a mutant."

"Me neither. But lately they haven't been as bad as they were before." Rogue can only nod in agreement with Tabitha as both girls exit the Institute. Upon their exit, however…

"HAHAHAHAHA-AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Both girls can only blink at the sound of 'Quicksilver' laughing insanely.

"Guess 'Speedy' got his second wind."

"Yeah. But, what could be so danged funny for him to be laughing like that?"

_(Brotherhood House; basement; same time)_

"Unnh." Blinking his eyes into focus, Toad can't help but smile weakly. "Is this Heaven?"

"No, it isn't. Why?"

"Because I can swear I see an Angel named Wanda above me, yo." Wanda's cheeks go softly pink, yet she softly smirks while she rolls her eyes.

"You've definitely gotten a concussion from the impact. You know full well I'm not an Angel, Toad."

"You are to me, my Scarlet Angel." Wanda shakes her head and giggles before holding up a finger.

"Follow the finger with your eyes."

"And what a pretty finger it is, too, yo." Wanda's face goes rosy red at the cheesiness as she slowly moves her finger along Toad's line of sight. Relieved that his eyes are moving in track of her finger, she nods.

"Okay. Your eyes are, seemingly, in working order. Now for a name check. Go."

"Todd 'Toad' Tolensky. Brotherhood of Mutants, yo. Agility, sticky slime, long tongue, high jumping ability." Blinking, he then asks, "How long was I out, yo?"

"Just a little over ten minutes. Can you stand okay?"

"Let me see, yo." Wanda nods and moves back before Toad carefully moves his body to an upright, seated position. "So far, so good, yo." Gently putting his legs down under his frame, he then pushes down and slowly rises off the floor. Once he's standing, he nods. "Looks like I'm okay, yo."

"Um, yeah, you are, Toad. I'll go tell Freddy and Lance you're awake." Toad gives her a nod before she hastens upstairs. Clear concern on her features.

'He's standing alright. In a fully-upright posture instead of his usual slouched posture!' Meanwhile…

"My word, what a mess I made, yo." Shrugging, he starts picking up the debris from his 'self-education' from earlier. Within five minutes, he's done and looking around the basement. "Not too bad, yo." He then blinks at seeing something in the corner and goes toward it. "Now what could this be doing here, yo? And does it work still?" Picking up the item, he gets a firm grip on it before smirking.

"Here goes nothing, yo."

_(Five minutes ago)_

Upstairs, in the living room, Wanda's telling Agatha, Lance and Fred about Toad standing erect. Needless to say, they're quite bewildered. With Lance taking it.

"Could that head bash, combined with the desire to teach himself, have to do something with that?"

"It's possible, Mr Alvers." Agatha's voice gets their attention as she goes on. "Neurology may be outside my understanding, but there have been cases where those that suffered impacts to the head had various results of said impacts. Some good, some bad, but all life-changing."

"Is an altered personality possible, Agatha?"

"It would depend on the degree, Wanda, but yes. An altered personality can occur. Why do you ask?"

"When he came to, he asked if he was in Heaven because there was a 'Wanda-Angel' with him. I told him that I'm no Angel and he said I'd always had been to him and called me his 'Scarlet Angel'. When I told him to follow my finger, he said it was a pretty finger."

"It sounds like some of his inhibitions may have been lowered." Before anyone can anything more, a knock is heard on the door. "My, my. What a day for visitors to come by." Fred nods in agreement before opening the door. Once he does, he smiles widely at seeing who it is.

"Rogue! Boom-Boom! How've you been?!" His smile fades slightly at the sound of laughter in the horizon. "Pietro…"

"We know. We heard 'Speedy' laughing during our walk to here. Any idea as to what he was laughing at?" Before Fred can even answer Tabitha, a small, yet powerful, motor starts up in the basement.

"ALRIGHT! IT WORKS, YO! HA-HA!" A wave of terror suddenly crosses Fred's face before he shakes his head.

"Oh no! Oh no!" Looking toward the others in the living room, and seeing them blinking, he yells out, "Lance, he found it!"

"Oh man! He was bad enough before the impact! Who knows what he'll do after the impact?!" Next thing they know, the motor stops, getting Lance and Fred to both sigh in relief. "Hopefully he won't try using it."

"He won't try using what, 'Rocky'?" Lance can only shake his head, getting Tabitha to grit out. "What did Toad find and what kind of impact was it?"

Before Lance can even answer however, footsteps can be heard on the basement staircase. Along with humming. Cheerful humming. Next thing they know, a grinning Toad emerges from the basement.

A red chainsaw in hand, a set of safety goggles over his eyes, a set of hearing protectors over his ears, thick work gloves on his hands and a coil of rope draped diagonally across his torso. Rogue and Tabitha both can't help but gulp. For to them, a grinning Toad and any kind of tool, let alone a chainsaw and rope, is never a pretty picture.

"Look what I found in the basement, yo!" Blinking at seeing Rogue and Tabitha, his grin becomes a smile and says, "Rogue! Boom-Boom! Hi! Good to see you two again, yo!"

"It's good to see you again too, 'Froggy'. Though I don't know if the chainsaw's a good match for you." The sight of Toad shrugging gets Rogue and Tabitha both to blink.

"The color's not important. Long as it runs, it's usable, yo. So, if you'll excuse me…" His smile becoming a grin again, he resumes humming as he heads toward the back door in the kitchen. Once he's exited out the back door, Rogue grabs Fred roughly.

"What'd ya yahoos do to him?!"

"It wasn't us, Rogue! It was all him! So chill out!"

"Don't toy with us, 'Blob' or tell us to 'chill out'. Toad's not exactly the kind to willingly carry a chainsaw or a rope anywhere with him. Was it Mastermind?"

"No, Tabby, it wasn't. Why don't you two come in and have a seat so we can explain as best we can?"

"I believe that's the first thing ya said that makes sense, Lance." Once they're both seated across from Wanda and Agatha, Rogue gives Lance a pointed glare. "We're all ears, Lance." Sighing, Lance tells them everything. Meanwhile…

"Let's see here." Looking up at the trees, hoping to find one with appropriate thickness for the lower torso of the mannequin, Toad suddenly nods. Grin still on his face. "That looks like the right one, yo."

Gently laying the chainsaw down, he brings the coiled rope off of his torso. Putting one end of the rope through the opening of the hand-guard, he makes certain to tie the knot securely. Giving it a strong as possible tug, he nods in approval that it hadn't come undone. Tying the other end of the rope to his frame, he then squats down.

"Sure hope I got enough rope for this, yo." With that, he springs up into the tree. His feet landing on a branch, he looks at the segment of trunk he's at.

"Nope. Too thick here, yo." Jumping again, he looks around and frowns at seeing an active bird's nest.

"Somebody's home. Wrecking one home's enough for me, yo." Jumping one more time, he looks around and sees nothing before looking at the segment of trunk. He then nods and smiles.

"This'll do, yo. But first…"

Untying the rope around his frame and tying it onto the branch he's standing on. Once he's done, he starts climbing up the remaining branches. Checking each one to ensure there're no other nests. Upon reaching the top of the tree, and finding no other nests, Toad nods again.

"Now to work, yo." With that, he starts climbing back down until he gets to the branch he'd attached the rope to. "But first, I need the chainsaw, yo." With that, he starts pulling on the rope. Taking up the remaining slack, of which is only ten inches until the chainsaw starts coming upward.

"Yeah, that's it. Come to Toad, yo." Meanwhile…

Back inside the Brotherhood House, Rogue and Tabitha had just finished hearing what Lance, Fred, Wanda and Agatha had to say. They seem to take it well.

"That's just like him!" The sound of a chainsaw starting up again gets both femmes to blink before looking toward the back. With Rogue taking it.

"Don't ya'll have woodlands back there?" Lance, Fred and Wanda all nod. Just as Pietro comes speeding right into the living room, stopping beside Rogue and Tabitha. Shit-eating smile on his face.

"Thanks for the laugh, Wanda. I really needed that. Oh. Rogue. Boom-Boom. What brings you by?"

"We were here to see Lance, Fred and Todd." Her eyes starting to glare, Rogue asks, "Why were you laughing earlier?"

"Toad was apparently teaching himself karate to make himself worthy of Wanda." Pietro lightly snickers and asks, "Isn't that funny?" Blinking, he then asks, "Why am I hearing a chainsaw in the woods out back?"

"Why don't you take a look, 'Speedy', and tell us why you're hearing a chainsaw in the woods out back?" Pietro's about to tell Tabitha she can't tell him what to do, but the sight of her forming a bomb in her hand gets him to nod before going out back. "Let's see how 'Speedy' reacts before we do or say anything else." Shrugging, they all follow Tabitha. Just as…

"TOAD! WHAT'RE YOU DOING UP THERE?!" Pietro then gasps as he, in the loudest bellow possible to be heard over the chainsaw, asks, "WHERE'D YOU GET THAT CHAINSAW FROM?! TOAD, NO! STOP CUTTING, TOAD! I MEAN IT, TOAD, CUT IT OUT! WHY AREN'T YOU LISTENING TO ME, TOAD?! CAN'T YOU HEAR ME YELLING AT YOU?! WHOA!" Moving out of the way as a tree-top falls and makes contact with the ground, Pietro blinks in abject horror before switching to anger.

"HAVE YOU LOST WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR MIND, YOU DERANGED BUG EATER?! YOU NEARLY KILLED YOUR TEAM LEADER!" At the sound of the chainsaw going silent, Pietro calls out again. "IT'S ABOUT TIME, YOU DAMNED INSANE DIPSHIT!"

"Oh, hey Pietro! By the way, that kind of language's not exactly called for! If you want to be considered mature or a leader, then act like it, yo!" Pietro blinks repeatedly at that while Toad lowers the chainsaw by rope as he goes on.

"The chainsaw worked great! But I noticed the chain's blades are a little dull! So I'll have to see about finding another chain to replace it with when ready, yo!"

"Uh, right!" His right eye twitching as he turns back to them, Pietro brokenly asks, "What… the… heck… is… wrong… with Toad?"

"Oh, yeah." Rogue grins lightly before adding, "He's had a bit of a personality change."

"I can see that, Rogue. But what brought it on and what can we do to undo it?"

"I think we should leave him like this. Give it about a week, see how well he does. He'll probably be back to his usual self on his own."

"You lost your vote when you went to the X-geeks, Tabby." Before Tabitha can retort, however…

"I concur with Miss Smith, Mr Maximoff." Agatha's voice gets his attention as she goes on. "Mr Tolensky's present personality is, understandably, new and confusing. With some of his inhibitions down." Once the chainsaw's on the ground, Agatha nods toward it. "That, for example. If Mr Tolensky had been in his previous mindset, what would've happened with that chainsaw?"

"It'd have fallen to the Earth and… possibly broken into pieces if it landed wrong." Lance's face goes pensive as he adds, "The old Toad wouldn't have put a rope on it at all. He'd have just hoisted it up with him. Then when he was done…"

"A freefallin' chainsaw. And I bet ya it would've been runnin' as well."

"Indeed, Rogue." At the new female voice, Rogue turns and gasps at seeing her surrogate Mother.

"Irene." The visually-impaired pre-cog smiles softly at Rogue before nodding toward the others.

"It's been a while, Agatha."

"Likewise, Irene. Have you lost weight?"

"Maybe a little bit. But I've come with a message for Rogue and Tabitha to take to Shinji. It's of utmost importance." Rogue and Tabitha both blink, with the former taking it.

"How do ya know about Shinji having arrived, Irene? I mean, there's no way ya could've known about him ahead of time." Before Irene can answer, however, Agatha speaks up.

"That is the name of the young warrior that became one before his time?" At Tabitha, Rogue and Irene's nods, Agatha says, "I wish to meet him. Please." Before any reply can be issued, Wanda, Lance and Fred nod their heads.

"I think we can stand to meet him as well. Is he nice, Tabby?"

"Oh yes, Fred. He's very nice."

"Perhaps Mr Tolensky would care to accompany us once he finishes descending from the tree." Irene smiles softly at that before chuckling.

"Oh he will. Much like I'd really like to know why his previous self initially thought the karate book was about a guy named 'Karate' to begin with." As she finishes, she bursts into mirth-filled laughter. "I don't come around here enough, it seems!" Irene's words finish processing in Rogue and Tabitha's heads before they giggle.

"Hey, 'Destiny'. It's been a while, yo!" Irene nods at Toad as he hops up to them, a soft smile appearing on her face.

"It has indeed, Toad. How's your head feeling, by the way?"

"It's feeling okay. But, man oh man, I was out of it, yo. But it was okay. My 'Scarlet Angel' watched over me." Rogue and Tabitha both arch their eyebrows before looking over and seeing a blushing Wanda. Yet Wanda also has a soft smile on her face.

"Toad, please… stop. You're making me blush."

"It makes you look cuter than usual though, yo." While Wanda giggles at that, Pietro blinks repeatedly at Toad's blatantly outright cheesiness. He then clears his throat.

"Excuse me, but can someone please tell me what planet we're on?! Since when is Toad charming?! And to the 'Scarlet Witch', no less!" Shaking his head, he then mutters, "I need to clear my head. The day's just been too weird for my tastes." Irene then clears her throat, amused smirk on her face.

"I hope you're ready for more weirdness, Pietro, for Shinji is presently making lunch. While giving X-23 lessons at the same time. But, we must hurry as 'Shadowcat' is, as we speak, attempting to assist Shinji in teaching X-23 as to how to cook."

"Great Scott! We better hurry before disaster strikes, yo!" Hoisting Wanda into his arms before hopping ahead, Toad adds, "I just hope we can keep that ditz from ruining what that Shinji guy's making!" As he leaps ahead with Wanda in his arms, Wanda can't help but giggle. Pietro, however…

"TOAD!"

Author's Notes: This'll be my first omake for this story. Enjoy!

"Great Scott!" Toad suddenly spins rapidly until stopping. Clad in a white lab coat and goggles over his eyes. "Kitty trying to help can have drastic repercussions on the space-time continuum. To the DeLorean!"

Before they can even stop him, he hops to the house, Wanda in his arms. Within twenty seconds, a sleek silver car comes barreling out the side wall and toward the others. They're barely to get a glimpse of it up close until it vanishes in a large explosion of light and sound. Twin fire trails in its wake. On the lawn, a license plate is spinning before falling flat down. With Rogue being the first to take up the slack.

"Okay. Where in tarnation did that danged nut get the DeLorean from 'Back to the Future' from?!"

"I don't know, Rogue." Fred shrugs before going on. "Just goes to show you never know what's in your basement until you find it." Agatha gives him a nod, a perplexed frown on her face.

"I quite agree, Mr Dukes. Though, a DeLorean is not exactly what I'd expect to find in a basement."


	7. Chapter 7

Evolution Shinji 7

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

_(Xavier Institute; 15 minutes ago)_

"Okay, X-23, let's get cooking!" Shinji's enthusiasm can't help but get X-23 to smile softly as Shinji goes on. "Okay. Something that can be eaten… oh dear. I forgot to ask if there are any dietary restrictions! I'll be right back!" Walking back to the door, he calls out, "Anyone have any particular taste when it comes to food?! Or something they can't eat?"

"Aside from 'Half-Pint', they're bottomless pits." Shinji's blink gets Logan to smirk softly. "Kitty. She's a vegetarian."

"Ah. Thank you, Mr Logan." Before Logan can even blink, Shinji ducks back down into the kitchen and goes back to X-23's side. "Okay. Kitty's a vegetarian, everyone else has no restrictions of any kind."

"Okay." Watching intently as Shinji grabs carrots, lettuce and various other vegetables, she asks, "How are you so good with making vegetarian dishes?"

"Ayanami, one of the other Evangelion pilots, she's a vegetarian." Rinsing off the vegetables, he goes on. "Fact of the matter is, she's why I Piloted Unit-01 to begin with."

"Oh? If they had a Pilot already on station, why…" Her eyes suddenly go wide before she hisses out, "She was injured?!"

"Pretty badly, too, according to what Dr Akagi said after my first battle. Her Evangelion, Unit-00, had basically gone nuts while she was activating it." His left hand starting to shake, he adds, "When I saw her, after I initially refused to Pilot for my Father, I made the only choice I could to keep her from going out there and possibly dying."

"He seems to think like Lady Hydra." At X-23's voice, Shinji turns toward her and sees her frowning. "If there's a way for her to get someone into HYDRA's grasp, she'll use it. Without even batting an eye. Your 'Father', such as he is, pretty much used the same approach. Only he appealed to your compassionate side. You had very little chance against him, Shinji." Shinji can't help but let out a sigh at that before turning away.

"Asuka was right, wasn't she? I am spineless."

"No." Turning back to her, he feels her hand on his cheek before she goes on. "Never say that, Shinji."

"Why not? I only fought to keep others from suffering. Even if gaining my Father's approval in the process. That makes me spineless."

"What you did, in the face of unknown danger, takes courage. Even if under duress, you rose to the challenge and met it head on. Your 'Father', such as he was, used your compassion against you. You don't need his approval, or anyone else's. Compassion is often seen as weakness by HYDRA and those that think like them. They'll even capitalize on that."

"Sounds like they like dirty tactics."

"Yes. But keep this in mind. Without compassion, victory is meaninglessly bitter."

"I will, X-23." The girl gives him a soft smile before Shinji then frowns. "Have you ever thought about a regular name for yourself?"

"I'm afraid not. HYDRA felt that regular names for its assets were unnecessary. So they assigned designations based on the level of involvement."

"But… someone had to have had gone behind HYDRA's back at some point in time to give you a name."

"Access to the cloning program was very limited. The only ones with full access were Dr Riesman and Lady Hydra. Even more, the lab area was closely monitored for any deviations from HYDRA's designs."

"Well, seeing as Lady Hydra's not here right now, and Dr Riesman is…" Shinji's words get X-23 to blink before softly biting her lower lip.

"Do you think she could've… given me a name under their noses? Without writing it down?"

"If she cared enough about you to break free from HYDRA's grasp to save your life, then she had to have given you a name. All you can do is ask." X-23 nods before going to the door and sticking her head out.

"Dr Riesman, can you step in here with us?"

"Of course, X-23." A minute later, the woman steps into the kitchen before asking, "Is there something you needed my help with?"

"There is, Dr." X-23's voice gets her attention before she asks, "Is X-23 my only 'name' or is there another one for me?" Next thing she knows, Riesman's eyes start shimmering with tears. "Dr?"

"I was starting to wonder if you'd ever ask me that." Taking a seat, facing X-23, she goes on. "As you know, I had to slightly modify the genetic material to create you. That's not the only thing I did, however." Reaching into her lab coat's pocket, Riesman brings out a picture before handing it to X-23. The girl's eyes can't help but bulge out when she sees the picture.

Dr Riesman's belly, swollen in pregnancy. A pensive, yet glowing, look on Dr Riesman's face.

"You mean…"

"Oh yes. Lady Hydra was not happy about that one bit. She felt that my carrying you to term would ruin the project. In turn, I told her that it would be the only way to successfully complete the project. She, unhappily, decided to let me give it a try. On the condition, of course, that I did not tell you the truth about myself during your training under penalty of death."

"So you'd agreed." At Riesman's nod, she asks, "What happened the day I was born?"

"When you were born, Lady Hydra was 'gracious' enough to let me hold you in my arms for the first and only time, I quietly named you. I whispered as quietly as I could to avoid being overheard."

"Wha… What was it?"

"Laura. After my Mother." Riesman's tears start flowing freely from her eyes before she smiles. "So now you know. My little Laura." The heartwarming scene is soon disrupted when Kitty phases into the kitchen and shakes her head.

"This is, like, taking way too long. I'll help you, Shinji." Before anyone can move, however, Kitty picks up a container of cinnamon and looks around. "So, like, where's what you're making for the others?"

"Pryde-_san_, I appreciate your kind offer to help. But, please, let me see if I can teach you to cook properly to where no one suffers first." Laura can't help but blink incredulously at Shinji's words.

"Shinji, are you sure? Mr McCoy told the both of us how dangerous she is. Even Rogue attested to that aspect earlier. For you to succeed will take a miracle." Before Shinji can even reply, however…

"HELP IS ON THE WAY, YO!" Before anyone can even blink, a loud crash is heard before Kitty's lithe frame is encased in slime and being propelled away from the stove. "NEVER FEAR! 'TOAD' AND THE 'SCARLET WITCH' ARE HERE!" Two forms then leap into the room. Or, to be more precise, one leaps into the room while carrying another form in its arms. Shinji then gets a look at the forms.

One a pale green, decidedly a young male, wearing clothes covered in sawdust. The other, a young female wearing a red leather vest and blue jeans. The female then notices her situation and 'gently' nudges the form into putting her down onto the floor. The male does so and the female smirks.

"Thank you, Toad."

"You're welcome, Wanda." Looking toward the slime-encased Kitty, the one the female called 'Toad' sighs in relief. "Whew. Hopefully, we were in time to dodge a fatal bullet, yo."

"You sure about that, 'stink boy'?" At the sound of Logan's voice, the two turn in time to see his tri-claws spring out of his hands. "Because you two are about to become shish-kabob on my claws unless you got a good reason for crashing into the kitchen."

"Other than 'Wolverine' being here with us, his claws out, it would appear so, 'Toad'. But, somehow, I don't think Kitty appreciates the slime-cast." Seeing Logan look toward Kitty and seeing the girl encased in slime, she then sighs in relief as Logan's claws go back into place.

"I wondered where you disappeared off to, 'Half-Pint'." Looking toward Shinji, Laura and Dr Riesman, Logan then asks, "Did she put anything into the food yet?"

"Um, no. I asked her if she'd like to learn to cook. Before she could answer, however…" Logan nods his understanding before Shinji asks, "But who're these two?"

"Oh. I'm Wanda Maximoff, the 'Scarlet Witch'. My friend is Todd Tolensky, the 'Toad'. We're with the Brotherhood of Mutants. You?"

"Shinji Ikari. Dr Riesman. Laura… what's her last name, Dr?" Logan's voice is the next one to come up.

"Howlett. After my actual last name, Shinji." Shinji looks Laura over and nods.

"Fits you, Laura." Blinking suddenly, Shinji asks, "Your actual last name?"

"I'd been going by 'Logan' for years, given my fragmented memory."

"Ah." Looking the encasement over, Shinji winces before asking, "How long will that hold up, Tolensky-_san_? That slime's going to be hard to get out of her outfit as it is."

"About six hours, yo. It's the longest time yet. Oh, you can just call me 'Toad', yo." As Shinji nods, Toad looks him over before frowning. "You're the warrior Ms Harkness and Destiny were talking about, yo?"

"Who?" Before Toad can even reply, however, a blur speeds into the kitchen before coming to a stop. Revealing a young silver-haired male in a silver bodysuit.

"Were you in time, Toad?"

"Yeah, 'Quickie', but just barely, yo."

"Good. Destiny said you would be on our way here. Oh, before I forget." Speedily picking up the chopped vegetables, he rains them down onto Toad. "Don't ever carry my sister like that again, Toad!" With that, he speeds off, cackling madly. Once he's gone, Shinji can only sigh while shaking his head.

"Something tells me this'll take a while. Might as well start again. Shall we, Laura?"

"Sure, Shinji." With that, both Shinji and Laura start again. Toad and Wanda both watching before Toad feels Logan's presence behind him.

"Let's get those veggies and that sawdust off of you before you start thinking you're the 'Veggie King' and 'Sawdust Baron', Toad." Wanda can't help a snort at that. Logan's eyebrows can't help but arch at that. "Didn't take you to have a sense of humor, 'Scarlet Witch'. By the way, why is Toad covered in sawdust?"

"Oh. He was doing a little treetop trimming with a chainsaw earlier."

"A chainsaw?" At Wanda's nod, Logan can't help but ask, "How'd he do?"

"He did quite well, actually. Though Pietro nearly had a close call when the top of the tree came down to the ground."

"I see. And what was the purpose of him cutting the top of a tree anyway? Just out of curiosity, of course."

"He wants to make a lower torso for a mannequin for when he tries teaching himself karate again."

"He's teaching himself karate?" At Toad and Wanda's joint nods, Logan shakes his head. "I know I shouldn't ask this, but I might as well. How goes your self-education, Toad?"

"Aside from missing a few things, not too bad, yo." Logan can only grin at that just as another voice wafts into the kitchen.

"Excuse me. If it's not too much trouble, Agatha and I'd like to speak with Shinji." They all turn toward the voice and see a young woman with dark-lensed glasses standing with a considerably elder woman. "It's of utmost importance. Laura as well, but separately."

"If you say it's important, Irene, then it is. But why separately?" The younger woman smiles softly, getting Logan to roll his eyes. "I get the picture. Toad, Maximoff, help me get 'Half-Pint' out of this slime cast. Laura, Dr Riesman, Shinji needs to hear this alone. Why don't you sit in the dining room until it's time, Laura?"

"You sure?" Yet Laura's not looking toward Logan, but toward Agatha and Irene.

"Quite sure, Laura. It won't take long." Irene's words get Laura to look toward Shinji before nodding.

"Okay." Once Laura and Riesman are out of the kitchen, Irene motions for Shinji to sit before seating Agatha and herself.

"My name is Irene. I've come with a message for you, Shinji Ikari, resident of Tokyo-3 and Evangelion Pilot for NERV."

"But… how do you know so much about me? I don't understand, Irene."

"Perhaps I can explain, Mr Ikari. My name is Agatha Harkness. Irene is a pre-cog." Her face struggling to maintain its composure, she adds, "I've so much to ask you, but I don't even know where to start. On our way here, Irene and I discussed her message to you. I told her what I'd seen and, in turn, she told me what she'd 'seen' through her gift. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

_(Dining room; same time)_

"Hey, where's Shinji at?" Paul's voice gets Laura's attention before the blond male goes on. "I saw Mr Logan wheeling Pryde through the hallway with Tolensky and Maximoff."

"He's in the kitchen. His teaching me to cook is kinda in the backseat right now as someone named Irene has something to discuss with him."

"I see. How about you? How're you holding up?"

"I don't follow."

"Going from one subject to the next, rapidly and abruptly, without warning at times. That's bound to be wreaking havoc with you."

"It can be… trying at times. One thing I managed to learn is flexibility in situations."

"That's good. Who taught you?" Laura can only smile softly before replying.

"My Dad, through his genes." Extending her hand, she adds, "Laura Howlett."

"Paul Haits." Accepting her hand into his, Paul adds, "Nice to meet you, Laura. Oh, by the way, you and Shinji look cute together. Taryn's words, not mine." Laura's face can't help but go pink, getting Paul to grin.

_(Kitchen; same time)_

"So, there's nothing I can do about it."

"That is correct, Shinji. Roughly calculating, you have three months. Use the time for training as it will prove beneficial to you and those close to you." Grinning, Irene adds, "You needn't worry about being alone as you won't be." Shinji can only blink before Irene giggles softly. "You'll see. All you have to do is ask Colonel Fury the right question."

"The right question? What is the right question?"

"You will know when you exit the kitchen. Now, if you'll both excuse me…" Shinji and Agatha both nod as Irene rises before making her way to the door. As she gets to the door, she reaches out and pushes it open. Shinji's jaw can't help but drop at that.

"Did she just… but I thought…" Agatha's soft chuckles get him to look back at her before smiling weakly. "Pre-cog. Right."

"Oh, my dear boy. I bet you weren't expecting any of this to happen."

"No, Ms Harkness. I wasn't." Sitting back, Shinji can only sigh. "I got three months, huh?"

"Yes. Like Irene said, the instant you came into the world, it was detected by the one that seeks to end your time among us."

"Then I guess there's only one thing to do."

_(Dining room; three minutes ago)_

"Laura, you will have a choice to make. Though it won't really be one for you to make as one choice will undoubtedly break your heart." Laura blinks quizzically at Irene before the pre-cog groans. "This is the problem with the youth of the world these days. No appreciation for cryptic mysteries."

"More like I've never really had the time to experience one." Sighing gustily, Laura asks, "When will the choice be made?"

"Three months. It's yours to make and yours alone." Laura frowns at that, with Irene picking up on it and smiling softly. "Though I can give you a clue if you'll move your ear closer to my lips." Unsure, Laura mentally shrugs and moves her ear to Irene's lips. Irene's resultant whisper gets a flaming blush from Laura. Along with a soft smile. "Do you understand now, Laura?"

"I do, Irene."

_(Thirty minutes later)_

"Colonel Fury? Before I give my answer, I've a question for you, sir."

"Go ahead, Shinji."

"How many 'Explorers' do you plan to have for your program?"

"I can start off with up to two at a time for starters. Though Pincer'll have a fit as it is."

"I take it Pincer's one of the bean counters?"

"That's right, Shinji. Him having a fit will be a fun sight, to be certain." Shinji looks over at Laura, with Fury doing the same and chortling as he gets Shinji's drift. "Oh, he'll be having more than a fit. He'll be having a stroke and a coronary at the same time." Laura blinks at that before pointing towards herself.

"Me, Colonel? You want a HYDRA-engineered assassin in your program?" Fury gives her a shrug and grin.

"Why not? It'll give you training and deeper satisfaction in foiling any demented plot HYDRA cooks up than just going after them." Laura mulls it over before grinning.

"I am if Shinji's in." Fury nods at that before looking back toward Shinji.

"Shinji?"

"I'm in, sir. I'll do my best to not let you down, sir." Fury nods and grins at the two of them.

"Outstanding." Patting Shinji on his right shoulder, he adds, "As long as you do your best, that's the main thing. And don't worry about letting anyone down. You're too good a soul to do that."


	8. Chapter 8

Evolution Shinji 8

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

_(Xavier Institute common room; same time)_

The tension in the room is palpable as the five Brotherhood members stand across from the X-Men and New Mutants. The annoyance with the Brotherhood for their stunt with creating 'emergencies' to pose themselves as heroes the primary cause of the added tension. Dr Riesman, Paul, Taryn, Rogue and Tabitha are standing in the middle, albeit off to the side, between the groups. Pietro then opens his mouth.

"I got a good look at that Shinji guy. He doesn't look anything like a warrior." Snorting, he adds, "I mean, he's skin and bones! Toad's got a little more mass to him, for crying out loud! And I mean a little more!"

"What were you expecting, Quicksilver? Please, do tell us." Logan's reply gets Pietro to smirk.

"I was expecting him to have big muscles, like Conan the Barbarian. But, with him being skin and bones… I don't buy it. How can he be a veteran if he has no muscles at all?"

"Admittedly, Pietro, that's a good question. But the combat Shinji went through can only be defined as unconventional. And I do mean unconventional." Charles' reply gets Pietro to blink, allowing Fred to take it.

"You sure he ain't one of us, Professor? I mean, what if he is and his power is to do amazing things while looking ordinary?" Jean nods her head at that.

"We're sure, Fred. We did a check on his blood last night and it came back 'X-gene negative'. He's a regular human." Lance nods thoughtfully before finding himself curious.

"Just how 'unconventional' are we talking, Professor Xavier? Spec-Ops?"

"That might be considered such, Mr Alvers, if Spec-Ops included the use of 80 ft tall cyborgs comprised of alien DNA and manmade mechanics." Beast's reply gets the five to gasp before Toad speaks up.

"I think that's big enough to take on a Sentinel and win, yo!" Looking around, he then asks, "Where do you have it stashed at? It could come in handy the next time a Sentinel appears, yo!"

"It's not on our world, Mr Tolensky, but on Mr Ikari's. Probably still within the 12th Angel, if not at NERV by now." Wanda blinks at that, getting Beast to chuckle. "Those are the suppositions anyway, Miss Maximoff." Jean nods and speaks again from there.

"I saw a red void when I probed Shinji's mind. It could very well be the 12th Angel."

"So he's stuck here, then." At their nods, Wanda asks, "What's he going to do now, with no NERV or anything?"

"Fury's got something in mind for him. Sort of like a training program for future SHIELD Agents."

"Indeed." Fury's voice gets their attention, prompting them to turn and see Fury standing behind Shinji and Laura both. "Shinji's not the only one, either." Logan blinks at that before seeing an unsure, yet resolute, Laura.

"Laura?" Getting a nod from her, Logan grunts. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, kid. Fury's a hard taskmaster."

"I can take it, Dad." Smiling faintly, she adds, "Besides, it makes the most sense. I'm not quite ready to be with the X-Men yet. Some time in the program, however, should get me ready. With Shinji at my side, me at his… I think we'll be okay." Feeling his arms wrap around her, she returns it.

"When you're ready or not, you'll always have a home here. Never forget that."

"I won't, Dad." Shinji looks the groups over and smiles faintly.

"I wish we could've spent more time together." Taryn walks over to him before wrapping her arms around him.

"As do I, Shinji. I look forward to seeing you again. And I'm sure the others would like to see you again as well." He looks behind her and sees the others nodding their agreement before Fury clears his throat.

"Much as I hate to interrupt this touching scene, we've got a lot to do before the day's out." Looking the Brotherhood over, he adds, "You five pulled some pretty risky stunts in posing as 'heroes' when you created situations the last few days. Why don't you try it for real? Alvers did when he stopped the last crisis after it went awry after all."

"We'll think about it, Fury. But I can't guarantee we'll go that way. We're not exactly the heroic type."

"Most heroes never start that way, Alvers. They're either ordinary people that make foolish decisions at good moments or those that actually train themselves to be so. The main thing is heroism that is true is the best kind of heroism. Keep that in mind." Lance and the other Brotherhood members nod silently before Fury turns toward Shinji and Laura. "Do you have any packing to do?"

"No, sir. All I've got are my plug-suit, my A-10 clips and what I'm wearing right now. The first two being analyzed currently." Fury nods at that before looking toward Laura.

"I'm much like Shinji. Minus the plug-suit and A-10 clips, of course."

"Of course. Shall we? If you're ready, Dr Riesman." At their nods, he escorts them out of the common room, leaving both groups alone. Once they're gone, Toad breaks the silence.

"Did he really say what I think he said, or am I dreaming, yo?" Scott takes that moment to smirk.

"If you're dreaming, Toad, then we're having the same dream. If not nightmare."

_(Outside; two minutes later)_

Shinji's jaw can't help but drop at the sight of SHIELD's airship. Laura notes his reaction and softly, for her, nudges him in the ribs. Her Adamantium-lined elbow gets a gasp from him before she smirks softly.

"Snap out of it, Shinji. You have to have had seen one of those before."

"I have, but they're usually smaller lengthwise. In my world, anyway." Next thing he knows, Fury's voice pipes up.

"Yeah, well, wait until you see the heli-carrier, Shinji. Then you'll see big." As the four draw near to the airship, a tall woman with short-cut brown hair and tan complexion steps out of the airship. "Val, meet Shinji Ikari and Laura Howlett. They're to be part of the new program I'm starting up today. Shinji, Laura, meet Contessa Valentina Allegra di Fontaine. One of SHIELD's best Agents and pilots." Contessa Fontaine looks them both over before smiling softly at them. Shinji in particular.

"Hello, Shinji."

"Hello, Contessa." Fontaine snorts softly at that before softly stroking his cheek.

"I don't go for fancy titles, so just call me Val. Okay?" Shinji nods at that before Val looks Laura over and grimaces. "Ugh, what'd those jerks at HYDRA do to you? When we get to the heli-carrier, first thing on the agenda is a proper trim. Okay?"

"Yes ma'am." Seeing Val glare softly at her, Laura hastily adds, "Yes, Val."

"Good. Oh, Nick, Pierce was just on the line for you. Pincer's been looking for you for the last hour and a half."

"I'd expected as much. Ready when you are." Val nods at that before ushering Laura on board, with Fury and Dr Riesman standing beside a stunned Shinji. "You okay there?"

"Yes sir. Um, is she really a Contessa?"

"She is. First time meeting someone with a title like that?" At his nod, Fury grins. "A little piece of advice, Shinji. Don't let the blue blood fool you. Val's rich and the maternal type, but she can still kick butt. Do you understand?"

"I do, sir." Blinking, he asks, "Maternal, sir?"

"Yep. She's got a soft spot for young ones."

"I wonder how Misato would…" Shaking it off, Shinji goes on ahead. With Fury and Riesman watching after him.

"I wonder who Misato is." Riesman's voice gets Fury to shrug.

"Probably someone important to Shinji back on his world. Ready?" Riesman nods and follows Fury onto the airship. Laura and Shinji seat themselves beside each other, prompting Fury to smirk softly. "Looks like you two established quite a rapport with each other after only a short amount of time."

"In a way, we're both alike." Laura gives a minute shrug as she adds, "Having had led lonely lives, I mean."

"That is true, Laura." Sitting behind her daughter, Riesman watches as Fury goes up into the cockpit area and straps in tightly before asking, "How many 'Angels' did you face off against anyway, Shinji?"

"I'd say about eight, Doctor. The only ones I didn't face off against were the 8th and 11th Angels."

"If your first battle was against the 3rd Angel, what happened to the first two? And who faced off against the 8th and 11th Angels?"

"From what Misato told me, the 1st Angel, Adam, caused 2nd Impact in Antarctica during the Katsuragi Expedition, Dr Riesman. Don't know about the 2nd Angel. Asuka faced off against the 8th Angel in a volcano, and also almost died. I think it was Dr Akagi that dealt with the 11th Angel as the three of us were in our test plugs, in a lake in the Geofront." Laura can't help but blink incredulously.

"Did you just say a volcano, Shinji?" At his nod, she asks, "Why there of all places?"

"It was where the 8th Angel had been dormant. It was supposed to be a retrieval for analysis mission, but it quickly became a destroy mission when it started to awaken." His eyes going wide, he murmurs, "Asuka had Unit-02 fight as hard as possible while I sent the prog knife from Unit-01 down to her since Unit-02 lost its own prog knife during the descent. But when the knife got to her and she tried cutting into it, its flesh had been hardened due to the intense heat." Fury's voice wafts back to them as the airship lifts off of the ground.

"What happened then?"

"I remembered our schoolwork about thermal expansion and communicated it to Asuka. She cut one of her coolant lines and shoved it into the Angel's flesh. During the ensuing fracas though, the other coolant lines, along with her lift lines, were severed. When Unit-02 started sinking into the magma, I had Unit-01 jump into the volcano to save her. As it was, I was barely able to make it to her in time to keep her from dying." His frame starting to tremble, he feels Laura drape an arm over his shoulders before nestling him into her side.

"That was gutsy, Shinji. Very gutsy. How'd NERV react to the incident?"

"Misato was glad I'd managed to save Asuka, Laura. Dr Akagi was perplexed about how Unit-01 had suffered little to no damage while Unit-02 had suffered moderate damage to its armor." He can tell that all four are blinking incredulously before Val takes it.

"How can that be possible, Shinji? I mean, last time I checked, volcanoes are insanely hot."

"I've no idea, Val. Even more, Unit-02 was using Type-D equipment. Mainly a diving suit meant for intense temperatures of any range. Dr Akagi was of the same opinion as the four of you."

"Ah." Val suddenly blinks again and asks, "What in the world are you talking about?! '2nd Impact'?! 'Angels'?! Some bunch called 'NERV'?! 'Units 01 and 02'?! I've never heard about any of this!"

"Shinji's from an alternate dimension, Val, where he'd been conscripted into a war for humanity's survival against extraterrestrial enemies." Fury's even tone gets her to look at him and see that he's gravely serious. "I know it sounds hard to believe, Val, but that's the deal." Val can't help but snort at that.

"I think 'hard to believe' is rather tame, Nick. It borders on ludicrous!" Giving him a soft glare, she adds, "When we get to the heli-carrier, our first stop's going to be for Shinji to see Kate. No matter what Pincer says."

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Val. Miss Grey and Professor Xavier did a surface scan of his mind and what they saw chilled them to the bone. It'll likely do the same to Kate."

"Well, we can at least warn her that what she sees won't be pretty." From there, the two are silent until Shinji's shy voice wafts up to them.

"Um, sir, who's Kate?" Fury turns back toward Shinji and gives a soft grin.

"Another Agent, with a chip that enhances ESP. Val doesn't quite buy your story, so she wants Kate to take a peek. But I think she's not going to like what she finds there. Do you?"

"No, sir. As for not buying my story, I don't blame her. I'm surprised I came across so many that accepted the story of my life as it is."

"Yeah, well, that's the thing about telepaths and those that know them." Before Shinji can even speak again, he sees a massive shape in the sky ahead of them. When it comes fully into view, he can only gasp in awe, getting Fury to grin. "Bet you've never seen a heli-carrier before."

"No, sir, but I did see a Geofront under the Earth's surface and it's controlled by NERV." Blinking, he then asks, "What does SHIELD stand for, anyway?"

_(Three minutes later)_

"**Welcome to SHIELD. Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law Enforcement Division."** The voice over the loudspeakers was female, yet didn't quite sound human to Shinji's ears.

"A synthesized voice, huh?" Fury looks back at Shinji and nods with a grin.

"That's right, Shinji. You're pretty bright to pick up on that kind of thing so soon." Shinji can only blush softly before grinning. Laura softly giggling.

"More like it didn't sound like it came from an actual woman's vocal cords. To say the same thing, over and over again, would result in said woman's voice having traces of aggravation in it. This may be the first time I heard it, but I'd say that if it was human, the voice was triggered by that door opening, and it'd been opened a lot, that voice would not be as smooth as a violin in a seasoned pros' hands."

"FURY!" The voice is male and tremulous as it goes on. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Fury rolls his good eye before looking back toward Shinji.

"Looks like you'll be meeting the 'Pinheaded Jackass', and his entourage, sooner than expected, Shinji." Before Shinji can even blink, a stout man accompanied by three slender forms, two male and one female, storms up to Fury.

"WHO SAID YOU CAN BRING CHILDREN UP TO A SECRET INSTALLATION?! ONE OF THEM A HYDRA ASSET AND UNSECURED, NO LESS!"

"No need to yell, Pincer, you'll blow your vocal cords if you keep that up. Of course, that wouldn't exactly be a bad thing for SHIELD." Shinji and Laura can't help but let mirthful snorts escape, with Val and Riesman smirking softly. Pincer, however…

"Alright, Fury." His voice relatively calmer, he goes on. "Why isn't X-23 in chains or shackles?"

"She broke free of HYDRA's control months ago. She's to be one of us now, part of a new program I'm instituting as of today." Pincer's jaw drops at the implication before his face goes red in rage.

"You can't possibly mean that cockamamie idea of a 'Junior Operative Program', can you?!"

"Actually, I do, Pincer. The idea's sound and I'm highly confident it'll pay off in the long run. It's perfect for youths like herself and Shinji." Pincer mulls it over before looking at Laura and Shinji both before smirking.

"Alright, Fury, I'll give you just enough rope for you to hang yourself with. Her, I can see as she's pre-trained and physically conditioned. But, him… I don't see it, Fury. He's thin as a rail. He'll never survive what you have in mind. It'll be best to jettison him right now." Laura sends her hand claws out at that.

"What do you know, bean counter? You have no idea of what it's like to go through trials. Shinji does. He's a veteran. You're not." Pincer raises an eyebrow at her words before his frame starts shaking and he bellows out in laughter. The other three with him following suit.

"HIM?! A VETERAN?! IN WHAT?! THE STARVING CHILD GAMES?!"

"Try a war for humanity's survival, Pincer." Fury's voice has controlled rage within as he says, "Val, go get Kate if you please. Have her go to the Med-bay so she can meet Shinji before Gabe does his physical. Laura, Dr Riesman, go with Shinji to the Med-bay. I trust you know the way, Dr."

"Yes, Colonel. Laura. Shinji." The other nod before following Riesman, with Pincer's entourage watching them walk away. Val following suit. Fury, however…

"You listen here, Pincer, you may be oversight, but I have overall operational authority here. The only function you and your entourage have here is the paperwork and any Diplomacy needs that SHIELD may come across. Is that understood?"

"It is. Understand this, Fury. The only reason you're in overall authority is because you bucked the regs and went out in ill health to defuse a situation. That impressed the President so much you got kicked upstairs. Yet you insist on doing field work." Fury can only shrug and smirk at that.

"What can I say, Pincer? Office work doesn't suit me very well."

_(Med-bay; five minutes later)_

"Ah, Dr Riesman, it's good to see you again." The African-American gentleman looks the two youths with Riesman over before asking, "And who're you two delightful young ones?" Riesman smiles warmly before speaking.

"Gabriel Jones, this is Shinji Ikari and Laura Howlett. Shinji, Laura, this is Dr Gabriel Jones. He's one of the best Doctors and scientists SHIELD has. Shinji, Dr Jones will be examining you while I examine Laura. Okay?" Getting a nod from Shinji and Gabriel both, she looks toward Laura and gets a reluctant nod from her. As the two women go to another part of the Med-bay, Gabriel looks Shinji over.

"Okay, Shinji, I'm going to need to get hold of your Doctor so I can access your Medical records for the examination."

"That's going to be a bit difficult, Doctor, as the whole of my Medical records are in Tokyo-3." Gabriel can't help but blink at that.

"You mean Tokyo, right?" At his 'negative' headshake, Gabriel rolls his eyes. "I sure picked a fine day to stay sober." Shinji softly chuckles at that before Gabriel chuckles himself. "Okay. I'll bite. Why are your records in Tokyo-3 instead of the only Tokyo?"

"The Tokyo of my world was wiped out in 2nd Impact. A second Tokyo was built to be the replacement Tokyo."

"I see. And what's the purpose of Tokyo-3?"

"It's a fortress city, used as a staging ground for UN Agency NERV." Gabriel nods his understanding before his eyes shoot open.

"Did you just say 'your world', Shinji?" At his nod, Gabriel can only gape before a soft feminine voice to his side gets his attention.

"I'll take it from here, Gabriel." Shinji turns to the side and sees an attractive Caucasian woman, wearing a blue jumpsuit, with long brown hair in a ponytail. "Agent Fontaine said for me to come see one of our newest guests. However, she didn't tell me he'd be adorable or so handsome." Shinji's face can't help but go beet red as the woman steps toward him.

"I'm Kate Neville. I'm in charge of the Psy-Ops division."

"Shinji Ikari. It's nice to meet you, Neville-_san_." Kate can only smile warmly before she steps to behind Shinji and softly puts her hands onto Shinji's shoulders.

"Okay, Shinji, I'm going to scan your mind. Agent Fontaine told me your incredible story and wanted me to verify it. Do you feel offended?"

"No, ma'am. But, you'll likely not like what you see. Grey-_san_ didn't seem to given what I saw on her face when I told my story to the others." Kate's hands leave his shoulders before gently caressing the sides of his head. From behind Shinji, Kate is quickly deluged with horrific images.

_The sight of a woman dissolving from sight_

_A large purple being with a horn_

_A large diamond-shape firing a beam of concentrated heat_

Breaking contact, Kate breathes heavily, intent on regaining her composure. A concerned Gabriel watching her intently before speaking.

"What is it, Kate?"

"What in the world did you go through, Shinji?" Her face taking on a look of sisterly concern as she steps to in front of him, she wraps her arms around him. Nestling him into her torso before resting her chin atop his head. "Why you?" Her frame starting to tremble, she gently rubs Shinji's back, desperately wanting to clear his mind of every horrifying image he'd ever seen.

"Kate?" Gabriel's voice cuts into her mind before he speaks again. "Kate, I think air's becoming an issue for him." Her eyes going wide, Kate suddenly releases Shinji and sees Shinji getting his breath back.

"I am, so, sorry about that, Shinji." Kate's worry is slightly placated when Shinji nods his understanding before Kate gently touches the middle of his chest with the palm of her hand. With Shinji slightly flinching at the contact. "You felt the beam against your chest, though it wasn't your chest, didn't you?"

"I did." Kate's eyes start shimmering with tears before a cold expression crosses her face. "Kate?"

"I hope you made that thing suffer for hurting you like it did." Shinji can only shrug at that.

"I don't know if it suffered or not, but at least it can't hurt anyone anymore." Kate nods her agreement before stepping away from Shinji and turning to Gabriel.

"Proceed with your examination, Dr Jones. I've some issues to discuss. With a punching bag." Gabriel nods as the woman walks away, agitation in every step. Once she's out of sight, Gabriel turns toward his patient.

"Well, Shinji, shall we begin?" At Shinji's nod, Gabriel nods right back and does so.


	9. Chapter 9

Evolution Shinji 9

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

_(Heli-carrier gym; same time)_

The young male can't help but feel nervous at the sight of Kate repeatedly punching the punching bag. Without wearing gloves, wearing rage on her beautiful face, her punches going wild and fast into the material. Next thing he knows, she stops and breathes heavily.

"What's on your mind, Pierce?"

"I'm… I'm concerned about you, Kate. I haven't seen you this angry since... ever."

"Yeah, well, you'd be angry too if you saw what I saw, Pierce." Kate turns toward Pierce, her eyes starting to well with tears. "If you'd seen the boy Colonel Fury and Dr Riesman brought back, along with the girl, you wouldn't expect to find out he'd faced off against gigantic aliens." Pierce blinks his eyes three times, getting Kate to chuckle. "I thought you'd react that way."

"I don't doubt that. But, are you sure that what you saw wasn't part of a movie that he'd watched?"

"I'm sure, Pierce. Besides, movies don't involve scars in a person's psyche. Unless, of course, that person is highly sensitive to movies. But, I don't think that's the case here. The images were too horrifying to be part of a movie."

"Was it anything like what you saw in Zola's head?"

"Yeah, only Zola's head was a mildly bad day compared to what I saw in Shinji's head. Now that was horrendous. I had to break away after a few seconds because it was too much."

_(Fury's office; thirty minutes later)_

"Okay, Gabe, what're your findings when it comes to Shinji?"

"Aside from a health concern, he's in excellent health, Nick." Pincer scrunches up his eyebrows before cutting in.

"How can he be in excellent health if there's a health concern, Doctor Jones?"

"For a young man his age, he's underweight by approximately 30 pounds, Admin Director Pincer. On top of that, he has significant scar tissue on his hands." Fury nods at that before speaking up.

"I noticed them as well. Did you ask about them?"

"I asked him about that and he told me it happened when he opened a hatch on the superheated entry plug for Evangelion Unit-00 after the defeat of the 5th Angel." Pincer's eyes go wide before he snorts.

"Evangelion? What is that supposed to be? A deranged fantasy?"

"Shut it, Pincer. Unless you'd seen what he had, you have no voice. Is that clear?" Fury's words get Pincer to snort again.

"Don't be so quick to believe what could very well be a total fantasy dreamed up by a kid that's starved for attention. You have no solid evidence other than the words of mutant telepaths and hand scarring that can be easily explained away."

"Oh really? What's your hypothesis about his scarring then, Pincer?"

"Simple, Fury. He grabbed hold of a frying pan's handle without wearing insulated gloves. Such scarring can result from that." Gabe shakes his head in disagreement.

"Oh sure. If the handle was just about an inch bigger than the handle of a regular frying pan. Plus, the amount of the scarring indicates that he'd been holding onto the hatch handles and straining his meager muscles in order to forcibly open them. On top of that, the temperature would have to have been 700 degrees F. for that kind of scarring to take place."

"So, is he good for the program?"

"Oh yes, Nick. He's good for it. It'll do him some good as well. But he's going to have to eat large quantities of high calorie foods so he can put some meat onto his bones. I already told him as such. He mildly agreed, as if he was… tentative about the idea." Fury can't help but frown at that.

"Sounds like he'd been conditioned to only eat minimal quantities long before he got here. Maybe even before he got to Tokyo-3." Gabe can only shrug at that.

"Well, he did say that food was scarce after 2nd Impact at the time. That could be part of it. But I don't think so. More like it'd been drummed into him that he only needs to eat enough to stay alive." Nodding thoughtfully, Fury looks over the notes before tapping on his desk.

"On your assessment of him, what would be the best level on the confidence course for diagnostic purposes, Gabe?"

"The lowest possible setting, Nicholas. And even then… all we can do is pray he makes it through alive." Fury's resultant smirk gets Gabe to grin softly.

"Oh he will, Gabe. I have no doubt about that." Pincer snorts at that before shaking his head.

"If he does, Fury, I will publicly apologize to him over the PA system on the heli-carrier. But, should he not survive, you'll drop that cockamamie idea for a program and remand X-23 and Dr Riesman both into SHIELD custody."

"Well, Pincer, we'll just see what happens. Won't we?"

"Indeed, Fury. Indeed." As he exits the office, Pincer smirks. 'I can't possibly lose!'

_(Med-bay; same time)_

Laura's face is beet red as she thinks about what her Mother had told her during the examination.

"_Remember what happens during '1__st__ Stage heat' if you're physically active, Laura. You'll be flirting with a boy. Mainly winking at him, pursing your lips or licking them while looking at him. Giving him soft to sultry smiles and the urge to snuggle into him."_

"_But, what if something happens I'm not ready for?"_

"_That's why you have to set limits, Laura. If he really cares for you, he won't try pushing it. Okay?"_

"_Okay. But, how will I know if he's the right one for me?"_

"_As long as he's good to you, that's the important thing."_

"Laura? You okay?" Shinji's shy voice snaps her out of her musing before she looks toward him. Seated in a couch, a pad of sketch paper in his hands. "You looked like you were thinking of something big."

"I was. But that's not important now. What're you doing?"

"Just some sketches of people back in Tokyo-3." Laura's interest can't help but be peaked before she goes to his side and sits down, close, beside him. Feeling her breasts press against his side, Laura sees him going red and smiles softly. "Um, right." He then brings the sheets hanging over the pad, five total, back to the pad. Allowing Laura to see the first one.

A young woman with a kind expression and long hair. Yet with a twinkle in her eye.

"Her name's Misato Katsuragi. She was just promoted to Major at NERV." Laura blinks at the last name before turning to Shinji.

"Katsuragi? As in the Katsuragi Expedition of 2nd Impact?"

"The very same. In fact, she was there when it happened." From there he tells her Misato's story, getting her to wince when he finishes with how she'd stayed mute for four years. Seeing her flip the next page over, he smiles softly at the next one.

A young girl with short cut hair and a softly angelic smile.

"That's Rei Ayanami, the 1st Child, Pilot of the Prototype Evangelion Unit-00."

"The reason for your first battle, without prior training."

"Impressive." The new voice is male, yet caring, prompting Shinji and Laura to look behind them in time to see a Caucasian man with short cut red-blond hair. "You fighting for the first time without training, that is. Reckless on the part of whoever brought that about, but impressive on yours. I'm Ops Manager Tim Dugan, but you can call me 'Dum-Dum'. You've got to be Shinji and Laura." Shinji and Laura blink twice before looking back to each other and back to Dugan.

"Nice to meet you, Ops Director Dugan." Shinji's face then starts breaking into a grin before he asks, "Where'd you get that nickname from, anyway?"

"I took a dum-dum round in combat years back. Left hip. Luckily it didn't nick the artery or vein. Been called that ever since." Nodding toward the sketch pad, he then asks, "I take it Gabe supplied it to you?"

"Oh, yes, sir. I asked him if I could borrow some paper for doing some sketching and he agreed."

"Well, Shinji, you've got talent on that one. Who else you got there?" Shinji silently brings the next page over.

A young girl with long hair and an arrogant looking smirk on her face.

"Asuka Langley Sohryu, the 2nd Child, Pilot of the Production Evangelion Unit-02. She claims to be the best Evangelion Pilot because she's trained longer than either one of us. Ever since she was four from what Misato said. She's also got a crush on a guy that's much older than her."

"Oh really now? Got a picture of him?" Shinji silently nods before flipping the paper over again.

A man with an unshaved chin and a ponytail.

"That's Mr Kaji. I don't know his first name, though. He and Misato go way back, though." Dugan smirks at that.

"I guess that Asuka doesn't understand that he doesn't reciprocate her affection?"

"No, she doesn't. She'd always get a dreamy look in her eyes when he's around. But, lately though…"

"He and Misato getting back together would have had an effect on Asuka's psyche." Sensing the opportunity for mischief, Dugan then asks, "Did anything happen between you two on a… personal level?" The sight of Shinji's face going beet red has Dugan smiling smugly. "Out with it, Shinji. No point in hiding it."

"Well, some time ago… we kissed. But I don't think I'm any good at it and Asuka said that she was bored."

"What makes you think you're not any good, Shinji?"

"Because when it ended, she went into the bathroom and gargled with mouthwash, saying 'I should never kiss to kill time!'. Of course, it didn't exactly help that I couldn't breathe through the whole thing."

"You mean… she held your nose shut?" The anger in Laura's voice is palpable before she smirks. A cute red splashing across her face. "Want me to see if I can show you otherwise about your kissing?" Seeing Shinji go red even more gets Laura to giggle softly and Dugan to grin before a throat can be heard being cleared.

"Much fun as that sounds…" Val's voice cuts through to them as the SHIELD Contessa steps toward them. "You two are needed on the course for your diagnostics. Laura should breeze through without a hitch. Shinji, however, well, bets are being placed." Dugan's eyes go wide before he smirks.

"What kind of odds is he getting?"

"You don't want to know, Tim."

"Put me down for 20, him making it through it. I'm good for it." Val nods before Dugan asks, "How about yourself and Nick?"

"Nick doesn't know about the betting yet, but he'll find out about it. As for me, I'm betting on Shinji making it as well. You won't believe who's leading the betting against Shinji."

"Pincer, isn't it?" At Val's nod, Dugan looks toward Shinji. "Want to see him have a stroke, Shinji? Then beat his expectations to a pulp and I'll give you half my cut. Laura, you want in on this?"

"I prefer to avoid sucker bets, and Shinji's going to win. I'll just cheer him on from the end of the course." Dugan nods his agreement before Laura leans in close to Shinji. "I'll show you how a kiss is supposed to go after the course, Shinji." His face is deep red as he follows the adults, with Laura holding his arm, her face red itself, yet bearing a confident grin.

_(SHIELD heli-carrier confidence course control room; three minutes later)_

"Agent Murphy, I want you to turn the level up to 'Zulu' level." Pincer's tone gets Murphy to grimace at him.

"Sorry, sir, but 'Zulu' is only for seasoned Agents. The exercise for JOs Ikari and Howlett call for 'Alpha' level as a diagnostic. Only Colonel Fury has authority to change skill level on the course." Pincer seethes at Murphy before leaving the control room, seeing one of his entourage waiting for him.

"William, I want you to do something for me and it's very important."

"Consider it done, sir. Anything particular in mind?"

"Yes, William. Keep Ikari from finishing the course. Even if it kills him. Fury needs to be shown that SHIELD doesn't take weak people into its' ranks. Even if they're 'veterans' of wars that don't happen here. Is that clear, William?"

"It is, sir." As Pincer storms away, the redheaded young male gives a minute smirk while thinking, 'Nothing personal, kid. Just business.' He then goes into his quarters and goes to work.

'My time spent observing the systems on the heli-carrier gives me the knowledge I need to sabotage Ikari's turn on the course.'

_(Five minutes later)_

"Okay, Shinji, Laura, this is a diagnostic only so we can determine your fitness levels." Fury then leans down to them both and whispers, "I heard about the betting and I'm betting on you both making it. However this is the only time I'll tolerate any kind of gambling. Even if it's in fun. Tim and Val both agreed that their winnings will go into college funding for the both of you, as will mine. So break the hearts of those betting against you. Got it?"

"Yes, sir." Shinji's soft reply gets a soft grin from Fury and a sultry smirk from Laura before the girl purses her lips and mouths 'for luck'. Shinji can't help but smile back weakly, thinking, 'Thanks. I'm going to need all the luck I can get.' His eyes going forward, he watches as the light on Laura's side goes green.

Laura then bolts ahead, making her way along the first on the obstacle course. Logs horizontally positioned and stationary before going on to the next one. The vertical net and horizontal platform before going down the zip-line to the next one. A rope climb with a bell at the top that has to be rung before she goes back down the rope to the last on the course. Vertical logs spaced 5 inches apart from each other. When she gets across them, she has a smile/scowl. Smile because she's done, scowl because it was too easy for her.

"Time for JO Howlett, six minutes, fifteen seconds." Fury's voice gets a softly impressed whistle from Shinji. "Okay, Shinji, keep in mind that JO Howlett has had more physical conditioning than you do, so there's no need to push yourself. Got it?"

"Yes sir." Seeing Laura give him a nod and smile, he nods right back at her before watching for the light on his side to turn green. 'Okay, Shinji, like the Director said, no pressure. Just make it through the course.' When the light turns green, he goes.

As he nears his first obstacle, he can swear the logs are going diagonal. Putting it out of his mind, he goes up them as they ascend. When he gets to the end of the logs, he leaps off of them and goes on to the next obstacle. As he nears the net, he can also swear that the net's loops are going dark. He's not the only one that notices it, as Fury's heading to the control room.

Opening the door, Fury sees Murphy trying to bring the course back down to 'Alpha' level. Without much luck.

"What happened, Murphy?"

"I don't know, sir. But I suspect we're being hacked."

"What makes you think that?"

"The readouts read 'Alpha' level, but they're going up, sir."

"Where are they at now?"

"Right now, they're at 'Kilo' level, sir." Seeing Shinji get up the net and across the platform, albeit slipping along the way, he adds, "He's doing pretty good so far though, sir."

"Yeah, he is. Keep at it." Seeing Shinji shake while on the zip-line that's now electrified, he adds, "I've got a hunch that maybe you can confirm. Did anyone come to you about changing the level for the diagnostic?"

"Yes, sir. Admin Director Pincer was in here, wanting me to crank it up to 'Zulu' level. I told him that he doesn't have the authority to change the level. I'd say he didn't accept that."

"It figures." Seeing Shinji go up the rope, albeit sluggishly due to the rope seemingly getting sticky on his hands, Fury nods. "Alright. Once Shinji's done, you and I are going to see Pincer. If he didn't do this, then maybe he knows who."

"Yes sir." Murphy then groans, "Aw crap. Sir…" Fury looks at the readouts and his good eye narrows.

"It's reached 'Zulu' level." He then watches as Shinji reaches the vertical logs. Only to see them moving toward and away from him. "You can do it, Shinji. You can do it."

As Shinji watches the logs moving, he looks and sees Laura looking right at him, mouthing, 'You can do it, Shinji'. Giving her a nod, he then watches as a log approaches him. When it gets to him, he jumps onto it, landing right on it. Only for his balance to become precarious as the log moves away from where he'd just been standing before he regains his balance. He then sees another log lie downward before feeling the log he's currently on start to lie downward.

'Okay. Time to play Hopscotch.'

Seeing another log moving away from him, yet is close, he jumps onto it just as the log he'd just been on lies down. Looking back toward Laura, he sees her smiling, waving him toward her. Only to feel the log stop before going backwards. Quickly looking around, he sees a log two logs over heading toward the stage. With the other two logs being stationary.

'For how long though…' With that thought, he leaps from that log onto the next one over. Only for it to start lying down before he jumps to the next one over. When he sees the log he wants getting close to him, he steadies himself before jumping onto it. Keeping his footing, he looks toward the stage and sees Laura going toward the estimated destination of the log. As it gets close, however…

'Shit, it's going down!' Coiling his legs, he thinks, 'I hope I'm close enough to pull this off!' He then jumps off the log, calling out, "Coming in for a landing!"

Everyone goes silent at Shinji's jump and time just moves by slowly from Shinji's perspective. Laura spreads her arms wide, warm smile on her face just before Shinji impacts with her. Knocking her down onto the floor, their lips pressing against each other. Albeit accidentally, yet for some reason, Laura's smile goes wider. Even as she feels one of Shinji's hands on one of her breasts.

His face beet red, Shinji breaks their lip contact and looks into her green eyes.

"Are you okay, Laura?"

"I'm fine, Shinji. Oh, you can take your hand off now." Shinji blinks before looking where his hands are and blushes even redder at seeing his right hand on her left breast. "If you want to, that is." He then feels her fingers run through his hair before she murmurs, "Ready for a real kiss, Shinji?" At his silent nod, he leans down toward her and their lips meet again. Only for…

"Okay you two. You can make out on your own time." Fury's voice snaps them out of it before they look toward him and see a proud grin on his face. "Shinji, your diagnostic may have been sabotaged, but your time was still quite impressive. Seven minutes, flat." His grin becomes a smirk as he adds, "You two can get up now, by the way." Their faces flaming red as Fury chortles, they both get up from the floor and stand beside each other.

"Seeing as you're both teenagers, with hormones running rampant, I don't want to have to tell you about complications that may arise. Even more, while SHIELD has regs about fraternization within the ranks, those regs don't apply to you as you're not officially with SHIELD. Plus, what happens between you two is your business provided it doesn't hinder your abilities. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir." Their unified reply gets Fury to grin softly.

"Go get yourselves fed, showered and some rack time. Pierce will show you where you'll be racking. He's right outside the hatch." Shinji and Laura both nod and start to move away before Fury asks, "Where'd you come up with the idea of playing 'Hopscotch' on the last obstacle, Shinji?"

"The time Asuka and I fought against the 6th Angel at sea, sir, in Unit-02."

"I see. Where was Unit-01 at the time?"

"Back in Tokyo-3. We weren't even expecting an Angel attack that day. It was supposed to just be a rendezvous for NERV Japan to meet up with the fleet escorting Unit-02 from the NERV Branch in Germany." Fury doesn't miss Shinji's wince, nor does Laura. "All things considered, it was a bad day for me."

"Why? What happened?" Laura's query gets Shinji to go beet red again before speaking.

"I lost the clothes I was wearing that day when the ship went down and wore Asuka's spare plug-suit all the way back to NERV. It was really quite uncomfortable for me." Fury can't help but wince, getting Shinji's meaning.

"I don't doubt that." Shaking his head, he asks, "Gabe did tell you that you're underweight, right?"

"Yes, sir. He suggested I eat high calorie foods to build up weight and body mass."

"Okay. Today's 'Pasta Day' on the heli-carrier." Shinji and Laura both nod and head on out. "Now to interrogate a 'Pinheaded Jackass' and remind him of his place."


	10. Chapter 10

Evolution Shinji 10

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

Author's Notes: This chapter will have two special cameos, a tag and some mild citrus within. Enjoy!

Outside the room containing the heli-carrier's confidence course, SHIELD Agent Alexander Goodwin Pierce thinks carefully about what his coworker, Kate Neville, had told him. While he has admittedly seen some odd things in his time at SHIELD, he's justifiably skeptical about the tale of one of the newest arrivals. A teen boy for Colonel Fury's new program, no less. Hearing the hatch open, he sees a young male of Japanese descent exit the room, along with the young female known as X-23, as having been briefed months prior to the day regarding the HYDRA-made clone.

"Um, JOs Shinji Ikari and X-23, correct?" His attempt at cordiality gets a scowl from the girl before she grudgingly nods. "I'm SHIELD Agent Alexander Goodwin Pierce. I understand you have a name now, though, X-23?"

"I do, Agent Pierce. Laura Howlett." Her face takes on a soft smile as she says, "If my ears don't deceive me, your accent says you're from Great Britain."

"I am, indeed, JO Howlett. Colonel Fury has tasked me with escorting the two of you to the Galley so you can get something to eat. Contessa Fontaine, of course, will show you to the female barracks, JO Howlett while I escort you, JO Ikari, to the male barracks upon completion of you eating your meals. Shall we?" At their nods, he nods back and leads them to a stairway leading upward. Shinji can't help but be curious.

"Agent Pierce, just how big is the heli-carrier, anyway?"

"There are 25 levels, JO Ikari. The 13th level houses a large pool, mainly for exercise and water combat training should either of you show an interest in it. The 2nd level houses the hangar for our airships and the 3rd level is the Medical/Scientific ward. The Galley is on the 9th level whereas we were just on the 11th level. Male barracks are on the 6th level and the female barracks are on the 8th level. The other levels will be explained to you both tomorrow as you both have had a long day as it is."

"I take it there are no coed barracks, then?" Laura's query brings Pierce to a halt in mid-up step before he shakes himself and resumes his pace.

"I'm afraid not, JO Howlett, as to have coed barrack arrangements would be quite improper." Laura, however, can't help but pout cutely while blushing.

"Oh, pooh. And I wanted to spend time with Shinji outside of training." Pierce can only roll his eyes at that, getting at her game.

"I'm going to put that down to the '1st Stage Heat' talking and ignore that. Dr Riesman briefed us fully when you first broke free from HYDRA's hold, JO Howlett. So please, try to control yourself."

"Oh, I will, Agent Pierce." Giving Shinji a smoldering look, she adds, "I absolutely will."

Shinji, however, goes beet red again at her grass-green gaze as she sultrily licks her lips. Shinji's gulp is barely audible as they reach the 9th level. When they get there, they see the entire level is a Galley.

"Now this is a Galley." Shinji can only nod in agreement before remembering he's still wearing the sweatsuit from the Xavier Institute. Pierce notices his wide-eyed look and grins softly.

"You'll be fitted for your training uniforms tonight after you eat as well, JOs Ikari and Howlett. They'll also include bathing suits. Thigh-length trunks for males, one-piece racers for females. Both black and blue with the SHIELD insignia in gold-coloring on them." Shinji then clears his throat at that.

"Um, I can't even swim, though. Laura?"

"I may have an Adamantium skeleton, but I'm capable of swimming as HYDRA synthesized a lighter, flexible version of the metal."

"For water-based ops and physical growth, right?"

"Correct, Agent Pierce." She then smirks at Shinji before she whispers, "Which means that not only can I save you if you're in a watery jam, I can 'buddy breathe' with you with air from the surface." Shinji can't help but go beet red again at her implication. Pierce, however…

"Not to worry, JO Ikari, as we have excellent swimming instructors here, which also double as lifeguard personnel." As they get to the serving area, Pierce grins at one of the servers.

"Five slabs of lasagna for the gentleman and lady each, Cookie."

"You got it, 'Xander. How 'bout you?"

"Just one, please." The server nods just as Pierce asks, "Why do you insist on calling me by the short-form of my name, Cookie?"

"It's easier off the tongue and doesn't sound so pretentious."

Shinji and Laura, however, can't help but feel their eyes go wide at the size of the 'slabs' of lasagna. 8x8x3 inches. 8 inches long, 8 inches wide and 3 inches deep. The sheer size of the 'slabs' causes their jaws to drop in shock. 'Cookie' notices their expressions and smirks.

"Yes, indeed, these two young ones need all the nutrition they can get. The poor boy looks like he hasn't eaten in months and the poor girl's the same way. Almost as if they'd never ever had a filling hot meal before. And that's unacceptable in my book." Shinji recovers his jaw before shyly speaking.

"Um, 'Cookie', no offense or anything, but there's no possible way Laura and I can eat five servings each that large in one sitting. We can maybe handle two or two and a half. But possibly certainly not five."

Laura nods in agreement, her jaw still dropped down in shock, her saliva flowing at the succulent appearance of the lasagna. One and a half inch each of hamburger meat in two layers, three lasagna noodles ½ inch thick, one of them on the bottom, mozzarella cheese on or oozing from each layer, of which there are three layers. 'Cookie', however, cackles eerily.

"Well, that's the beauty of this lasagna and your quarters, my boy. There's a microwave and refrigerator in your quarters so that if you get hungry for more, you can pop any leftovers you have in there and nuke it."

Giving Shinji an estimating look, he adds, "That is if you have leftovers. But I guess we'll see, won't we?" Shinji can only nod silently as 'Cookie' then brings the laden trays down to the end of the serving line.

"Enjoy your meals, kids. Next!" Meanwhile…

Making his way along the corridor to the Admin quartering, Fury ardently wishes he had a cigar in his mouth just to chew on it so he can resist the urge to literally bite Pincer when he sees the 'man'. When he gets to Pincer's hatch, he bangs on it, hard. When the hatch opens, he sees Pincer's face. Scowl on it.

"I hope you've good reason to bang on my door, Fury."

"Yeah, I do, Pincer. What were you doing trying to get Agent Murphy to change the level of the obstacle course for JO Ikari?"

"Just trying to help speed up the process of weeding out a useless weakling. Not like it did any good as Murphy refused flat out. Why?" Mockingly, Pincer asks, "Did the little wimp croak at 'Alpha' level? I wouldn't be surprised if he did."

"Nope. He made it through all levels, with a time of seven minutes, flat." Fury relishes the sight of Pincer's eyes going wide before he goes on. "Even more, the course was hacked into. Murphy traced the source of the hack to this sector. Since you're not all that bright with computers, you had to have had one of your brown-nosers hack into the control room to tamper with the settings." Pincer's nostrils flare at Fury's words before he returns serve.

"I can't believe you have the gall to accuse me or my colleagues of such an outrageous thing, Fury! Where's your evidence?!"

"How about the fact your eyes shot wide open with the news Shinji made it through? Matter of fact, I'm glad you had one of your people sabotage his go on the course. It made your, and their, defeat even more delicious. So consider this a warning. Do not, ever, try a stunt like that again, lest you, or your people, want to give the course a go. At 'Zulu' level in its entirety. Is that clear, Pincer?"

Pincer looks Fury in his good eye before nodding. Seeing the man's stone serious.

"It's clear, Director Fury."

"Good. Oh, and here's a reminder for you should you ever think about pulling a stunt like that again." Fury then draws his right fist back and lets it fly right into Pincer's face. As the 'man' falls back in a daze, Fury closes the hatch. Grin on his face before he chuckles. "That was more fun than should be allowed."

_(Wilderness; location of destroyed HYDRA base; three hours later)_

"GAUNTLET!" Rising up from the ground via a hidden access panel, an irritated woman with green hair angrily looks around before bellowing again. German accent within her voice. "GAUNTLET!"

"I am here, Lady Hydra." The semi-cybernetic reptile-like thug appears adjacent to her in the same manner before grimacing. "It's fortunate I had the tunnel-pods ready for such a situation. Though I didn't expect it to come at the whims of our property."

"Neither did I, Gauntlet. Contact my Father, have him send a transport for us."

"Yes, Lady Hydra." His grimace becoming a sinister frown, he asks, "Do you think X-23 is dead or alive?"

"While I'm hoping she died in the explosion, I strongly feel that she's alive. She's too much like Weapon-X in that regard." She then smirks evilly before going on. "Mark my words, Gauntlet, a reckoning will come and X-23 will pay dearly for her actions against us. Even if we have to do every single thing imaginable to kill her."

"Agreed, Lady Hydra. It's too bad that we lost the base. I was getting to like it here." The woman can't help but roll her eyes while smirking still.

"Don't tell me you're getting softly sentimental like Zola did before he died, Gauntlet."

"Perish the thought, Lady Hydra. The only reason I was getting to like it here was because it allowed me to hurt the animal denizens of this area for my research."

"Ah. That explains it."

_(SHIELD heli-carrier; Galley; same time)_

Right behind the other 4,500 stunned Agents in the Galley, Pierce can't help but blink his eyes incredulously before widely grinning at the two sated teens before him. Leaning as far back as possible without falling, Shinji and Laura gently pat their now-full bellies. All told, they managed to eat seven and a half 'slabs', Shinji all five and Laura two and a half.

The adult Agents couldn't believe their eyes when they saw the teens eating the large multiple portions. At most all they could handle was one 'slab', which raises the question in all their minds.

'What the Hell happened to these kids?!'

From the first bites of lasagna, the two just couldn't stop eating as the lasagna was too good for them to stop eating. But they also didn't want to get sick, resulting in a waste of such good food. So they paced themselves. Eat for thirty minutes, wait another thirty before eating again. Repeating as necessary. 'Cookie', however…

"Heaven's sake, kids. Where in the world did you live to be starving like that?!"

"Well, it's a long story, 'Cookie'. But it was just simply too good for us to stop eating." Shinji suddenly covers his mouth as a loud burp erupts from his mouth. "Excuse me." Laura, however, lets out a thunderous belch. Her hand unable to cover her mouth in time, she can't help but smile sheepishly.

"Excuse me, but I'm with Shinji on this." Pierce, however, gives them both an understanding nod before 'Cookie' speaks again.

"You kids feel up to some dessert? I've got apple cobbler and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies if you're interested."

"Maybe later, 'Cookie', after their food's digested fully." Pierce's tone lets 'Cookie' know that their young bellies can't possibly house any more food.

"I agree. That's got to be the first time I'd seen two people so young eat seven and a half slabs of lasagna altogether in a single sitting. Let alone while pacing themselves." The voice is soft, female and with a Russian accent. "So, Alexander, I take it these two are part of the Colonel's 'Junior Operative' program?"

"That they are, Natasha. Shinji Ikari, Laura Howlett, meet SHIELD Agent Natasha Romanoff, the 'Black Widow'. Natasha, JOs Ikari and Howlett." Both teens look at the woman and see that she's Caucasian, with long curly red hair and a trim figure. Natasha looks them both over before giving Shinji a sly grin.

"Mmm, I can tell you're going to be a heartbreaker when you grow even more, Shinji." Much to her surprise, Shinji lightly frowns.

"I don't want to do that, Agent Romanoff." Natasha gives him an understanding smile before shaking her head.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm afraid you don't have much choice in the matter. Once the world's luckiest girl gets her hands on you, all the other girls are going to be crying themselves to sleep over letting such a sweet, handsome boy like you get away from them. In fact, if I was about fourteen years younger…" She then blows him a soft kiss, getting a deep red blush from Shinji and a grin from Laura.

"You might want to be careful, Natasha. I'd imagine JO Howlett would give a run for your money if you were their age." Natasha gives Pierce a nod of agreement.

"Oh I can imagine it alright, Alexander."

"I don't know about that. I'd be hard pressed to keep pace with someone as pretty as you, Agent Romanoff." Laura's tone is sincere, yet it gets a scowl from the beautiful Russian.

"I don't know about that, JO Howlett. You're a very pretty girl." Her scowl becoming a smile of delight, she gingerly takes Laura's arm into hers. "Come. I think you can do with lessons on using your feminine charms on a target. Alexander, where's the Contessa at?"

"Let's see, Agent Fontaine should be in her quarters by now. If not, then the target range with Agent Neville."

"Oh, it'd be good to see Kate again! Let's go, Laura." Gently easing Laura out of her seat, Natasha looks back at Shinji and smirks. "She'll see you soon, handsome." Before Laura or Shinji can even say anything, the former is gently hustled out of the Galley while the latter blinks.

"Um, Agent Pierce, is Agent Romanoff always so… intense?"

"I'll put it to you like this, JO Ikari. Both Agents Romanoff and Fontaine can be quite persuasive when they set their minds on something. Especially when it comes to young females that'd been deprived of 'specialized lessons' if you get my drift."

"I see. Agent Neville?"

"She's far from a wallflower herself, but she's also been a frequent guest of their makeover sessions." Shinji puts it together before sighing.

"I guess I should be glad Touji and Kensuke aren't here right now."

"Oh? Why's that and who're they?"

"A couple of friends of mine in Tokyo-3. Though they're more interested in Misato. If they knew about Laura and her interactions with me so far, Laura being in heat notwithstanding, they'd be calling the two of us 'The Honeymooners' or some other term to describe us. Much like they'd called me and Asuka 'The Newlyweds' in the past."

"Oh? Is Asuka a girlfriend?"

"No, I'm afraid not, Agent Pierce."

"Why am I sensing a story there?"

"Because there is and it's a long one." Pierce can't help but smirk and roll his eyes.

"I don't doubt that, for some reason." Curious, he then asks, "What was it like, Piloting an enormous monstrosity just to combat aliens that were just as enormous?"

"It's no way to make a living, I'll tell you that much. What's it like, working with Colonel Fury?"

"Nary a dull moment. But it does get rather dicey at times. Both on and off the heli-carrier."

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, I first started working under Colonel Fury about 15 years ago. In fact, my first field assignment was to accompany Agent Fontaine to inform Colonel Fury that his protocode had been reactivated by authority of the President of the United States at the time. Our initial meeting, admittedly, got off to a rocky start. When we got him to the heli-carrier and introduced him to the elevator's security system…" Pierce can't help but chuckle and shake his head in amusement. Shinji can't help but lean forward eagerly.

"What happened?"

"He shot it! Four times because it droned on and on about having to repeat the eye scan for recognition even though he only had one!" Pierce can't help but erupt into laughter while Shinji can only smile weakly before finding himself curious.

"Um, just how did Colonel Fury lose his left eye, anyway?" Pierce quickly gets himself back under control at that before going serious.

"I'm afraid it happened long before my time. The only ones that know for certain are the Colonel, Clay Quartermain and Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, the founder of HYDRA." Shinji can't help but notice sadness in Pierce's tone when it comes to the middle name.

"What happened?"

"Agent Quartermain died when HYDRA stormed Trinity Base, as did a lot of good men. But at least he managed to take out some of those thugs." Shuddering, he adds, "During the resultant investigation, it was found that the defense grid had been disengaged from within. SHIELD had a traitor in its employ. Colonel Fury was, if you'll pardon the wording, quite furious about it." Meanwhile…

"Oh, Laura, you're in for an education you'll never regret." Laura can't help but be slightly amused by Natasha's exuberance. "Between me and Val, Shinji's going to be putty in your hands."

"Why can't we be putty in each other's hands?"

"That's not how the 'sexpionage' game works, Laura." Seeing the girl go beet red, Natasha smirks. "No need to worry about the full experience just yet. Consider this a crash course in seduction techniques that are just as good as sex without actually having it." When they get to a hatch, Natasha knocks in a pattern that reminds Laura of 'Shave and a Haircut'. Sure enough, the hatch opens and Val smiles widely.

"Natasha, when'd you get in?!" The two women exchange a greeting hug before Val waves Natasha and Laura into her quarters. "I see you met Laura. But I thought you were still shadowing Tony Stark."

"Had to get away for a little bit. He and Ms Potts were having sparks fly between themselves again when I split." Grinning, she adds, "Of course, when I saw this young beauty sitting alongside a cute boy, stomach full of food, I couldn't help but notice her eyes. They were practically screaming."

"Oh? What were they screaming?"

"They were screaming 'Please, help me seduce the man of my dreams!'. I couldn't, in good conscience, very well possibly say 'no' to that plea from a heart." Laura's face goes beet red again, getting Natasha and Val to grin softly just before the red slightly fades.

"Were they really saying that, Agent Romanoff, or are you making it up because you're bored?" Natasha mulls it over before grinning.

"I'm bored. But your eyes are just screaming for help. So let's begin. How far had you two gotten?"

"An accidental kiss on lips and breast grab at the end of Shinji's turn on the confidence course." Val lets out a soft squeal at that.

"How'd it feel? On both counts?"

"It felt nice. Shinji was very gentle, even though it was by accident."

"As long as he was gentle, that's the main thing. But, I gotta know. How'd you two meet, anyway?" Natasha's query gets a slight frown from Laura and Val both before she asks, "What's wrong?"

_(SHIELD Quartermaster; level 5; same time)_

"So, you're one of Colonel Fury's special projects, huh?" The short, thin elderly Caucasian man with white hair and glasses gives a chuckle as he adds, "Gettin' younger every time I turn around. No doubt about it." Crossing to a computer, he adds, "Name, your last first then your first initial. Spell it out if you please."

"Ikari, S, Sir. I-K-A-R-I." The man nods as he types it in. Once he's done, the machine for putting the names onto the materials goes to work.

"Japanese, are you?" At Shinji's nod, the man nods right back. "Meet some of your countrymen a few years back. Nice people. A tad too reserved, though. Almost as if they don't like the idea of cutting loose just to keep them from getting an ulcer. You're not like that, I hope."

"I've never really cut loose before actually, sir." The man nods as Shinji looks behind the man and sees three medium sized crates. "What're those for, sir?"

"Oh, the crates? They contain pieces of a handy gadget called an LMD. Short for 'Life Model Decoy'. Mainly for SHIELD higher ups or those that SHIELD consider to be vital." Seeing that Shinji's eyes are wide, the man asks, "You okay, sonny?"

"Um, yes sir. It's just that, I can't help but feel I came across that term before. Yet I hadn't before today." Shinji then shrugs, smiling haplessly. With the man returning his smile.

"Oh yes. I get that feeling as well when I encounter something I think I'd come across before, but not really beforehand. Bizarre, isn't it?"

"It is, sir. Very bizarre." Next thing Shinji knows, the machine's work is done and the man nods proudly as he brings it out to Shinji. Inventory list in hand.

"Seven pairs of underwear, seven pairs of socks, seven undershirts, all blue. Two lightweight BDUs, two heavyweight BDUs, in blue urban camouflage. One winter coat, in blue urban camouflage. Two covers, one light, one heavy, blue urban camouflage. One solid blue beret with SHIELD insignia pin. One Shield dress uniform, blue. One pair of thigh-length swim trunks, blue and black. Two pairs of boots, black. One pistol belt, black. One pair of running shoes for PT, blue. One pair of dress shoes, black. Any questions so far?"

"Um, out of curiosity, if I'm a Junior Operative, why would I need all this? And why would I need two pairs of boots?"

"Wearing a SHIELD uniform during any part of training applies to all that go through the training. Whether they be Junior Operative or Full Agent. Two pairs of boots so you can alternate on a daily basis, allowing the boots for the previous day to dry out. There's a notch cut in at the back of one pair." Shinji nods his understanding before remembering one other item.

"Pistol belt? As in I'll be trained on a firearm as well?"

"Oh yes. If only to give you a healthy understanding of firearm safety and discipline, if you want to. SHIELD Agents use different makes, models and calibers. Even more, weights can be attached to the pistol belts to help build body mass around the midsection. Go see Colonel Fury tomorrow if you're interested. Only he can sign off on it given your young age." Shinji nods his understanding of the logic before the man goes on.

"Duffle bag. Blue canvas, four flap, lockable by padlock via shackle in one flap. Rucksack with ALICE rack, blue urban camouflage for the ruck, green for the rack. LBE vest, black. One Kevlar helmet, blue. One Kevlar vest, black. The vest is to be worn under the BDUs during training sessions or out in the field. One balaclava mask, black to keep your face warm in cold temperatures. One pair of tinted goggles to prevent snow blindness should you go into a snowstorm during training." Looking over the list one more time, he nods before resuming.

"Last, but not least, two towels, blue. Two washcloths, blue. One soap-dish with soap, black for the dish, green for the soap. Two PT uniforms, blue. One set of PT sweats, black. Any further questions?"

"Um, yes sir, when it comes to the dress uniform, is everything included with it or…"

"It's all in the set. Light blue undershirt, black dress socks, white blouse shirt, black necktie and bowtie. Both clip-on for ease of attachment or removal." Shinji can't help but give a sigh of relief at that, getting the man to grin. "I'm of the same opinion myself, sonny. Of course, it could be that Colonel Fury doesn't exactly like occasions where formal attire's needed. Oh, one more item before I forget. Your identification as a Junior Operative."

The man brings out a small black billfold and hands it to Shinji. Curious, Shinji opens it and sees the SHIELD badge, with the designation of 'Junior Operative' on it embedded in the bottom flap. Looking at the upper flap, he sees a blank ID card before looking back at the man.

"I take it I'm supposed to fill out the card in pen?"

"Oh yes. Pre-done cards are only done for FAs. Operational mandate. But make no mistake. JO is a very new position that's just now getting established. So it'll be best if you keep knowledge of it to the outside world little to none until further notice. Clear?"

"It is, sir." Smiling sheepishly, he adds, "I kinda figured it'd be like that anyway and, well, it's not like I'll be able to go anywhere."

"I wouldn't say that, Shinji." Fury's voice beside him gets Shinji to turn slowly and see a grinning Fury.

"What makes you say that, sir?"

"Once a week, you and Laura will leave the heli-carrier, under adult supervision, to feel the earth under your feet again. You can visit your new friends at the Xavier Institute and Brotherhood House during that time or take in a movie as part of a date." Shinji's face goes red at that before Fury chuckles. "Any questions you want to get out of the way before tomorrow comes?"

"Um, yes sir. What kind of firearm would you recommend for a beginner like me to train with?" Fury can't help but chuckle again.

"Oh, you've got a fire in your belly, don't you, Shinji?" The young man can't help but smile sheepishly at that. "I know of the perfect piece for you. Stan, ring up the armory and have them sign out a FNH 5.7 pistol for Shinji, if you please." As Quartermaster Stan nods before doing so, Fury arches his eyebrow and whistles lowly. "I see Stan's hooked you up with the full kit."

"Yes, sir. He said that if I'm to go through the program, I might as well be like I'm going all the way. Well, more or less, anyway." Fury nods his understanding just as Stan finishes his call.

"They'll have it ready for you, sir. All they need is your sign-off on it."

"I'll do that tomorrow morning as right now, Shinji needs a shower and rest for tomorrow. Need a hand in packing there, Shinji?" The sight of Shinji nodding silently gets Fury grin before helping him. Within three minutes, they have it all, including the ID holder, packed in the duffle and rucksack, with the Kevlar vest and helmet going on the outside of the rucksack.

_(Male shower; three hours later)_

Sighing heavily, Shinji rolls his head around on his neck before submitting himself to the water's spray. The day had been long and hard on him without a doubt. Yet he enjoyed himself. Little does he realize that he's not exactly alone at the moment as a lithe feminine form quietly walks into the shower stall with him and embraces him from behind.

At the feeling, Shinji looks down and sees a pair of tanned arms around his trunk before smiling softly.

"How was your time with Agents Romanoff, Neville and the Contessa, Laura?"

"It was alright. Though Agent Neville wasn't able to join us." Giving him a soft giggle, she asks, "Care to guess what I'm wearing right now?" Puzzled, Shinji blinks until he feels a pair of bare nipples brushing up against his back. Shinji can't help but feel his face go hot red as Laura's slender arms slide up and down his torso. "Mmm, yummy."

"How'd you get up here? The hallway cameras…"

"Are not present in the vents." Feeling frisky, Laura lowers her left hand to his waist level and gasps at feeling his member against it. At the contact, his member starts hardening. Laura smirks softly before gently encircling it with her left hand. Just holding it, she whispers, "Just wait until I get to '2nd Stage Heat', Shinji. That, and what you're feeling against your back right now, is just a little preview of things to come."

"It feels like you're already there, though." She then releases his member before giggling again.

"Nope. See, '1st Stage heat' is basically mild flirting and tender kisses. Lasts for three days a month. Thinking of, turn around. I'm in the mood for an actual kiss. I'm sure you are too." Shyly, Shinji nods and slowly turns around. Once he's facing her, he sees her bathing suit is down to her hips, her modest bust revealed before she brings the suit back up and adjusts it. Shyly, Laura smiles.

"Did you like what you saw?"

"I did." Feeling her arms wrap around him again, he sees her face look up at him, rosy red blush on her face.

"You can wrap your arms around me, you know."

"I didn't know that." Laura thinks it over before giving him a nod.

"I see you missed a few lessons as well. But we'll get into that later. For now though, wrap your arms around me." Shinji nods silently as he does so, gently pressing her swimsuit-clad form against his nude form. Getting a sultry grin to appear on her face. "Mmm, it seems 'little Shinji' wants to play."

Before Shinji can even reply, she presses her lips to his. Next thing he knows, he feels tapping against his lips. Gently opening them, he feels her tongue slip in and returns serve. Both teens close their eyes in bliss as their tongues dance. Shinji's right hand, however, comes up to gently cup Laura's left bosom. Laura feels it and giggles before reluctantly ending their first official kiss.

"You're going to have to wait a while, Shinji. '2nd Stage Heat' doesn't begin until next year. Of course, it depends on how physically active I am. So it may come early, it may not. But, in the meantime, picture this." Blush on her face still, she brings her swimsuit back down until it's to her knees. Allowing Shinji to eye her nude body before bringing her swimsuit back up into place. "See you in the morning, cutie."


	11. Chapter 11

Evolution Shinji 11

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

_(Downtown Bayville, NY; same time)_

"I can't believe it, Kurt. Mr Logan technically has a daughter and you guys met a guy from an alternate dimension? A non-mutant guy, at that." A Caucasian holo-guised Kurt can't help but smile widely at the girl by his side.

"_Ja,_ Amanda. Even more, he took his being around mutants far better than most people do at first." The ebony-skinned girl can only grin softly.

"Now I know I've got to meet him. And Mr Logan's daughter." Looking around as the two walk along the sidewalk, she then asks, "Are they at the Institute right now?"

"_Nein_. They went with Mr Fury with SHIELD as part of a program Mr Fury started up. It's something like an 'Explorer' program, but on a bigger level." Amanda can't help but feel slightly crestfallen at that.

"Oh. Well, I guess we'll have to see if I can meet them some time."

"You will, Amanda. Shinji and Laura are just going to be busy for a time with the program before they can even come see us."

"Yeah." Grinning, she adds, "I still can't believe she was created by psychopaths to be an assassin and wants payback for it."

"That's what HYDRA gets for being without scruples." Amanda and Kurt share a chuckle just before a loud male voice yells out.

"HEY 'MUTIE'!" A blue convertible roars past them, splashing puddle water from the street onto Kurt before speeding away, with the voice adding, "STAY WITH YOUR OWN KIND, FREAK!"

"Kurt! Amanda!" The sound of Paul's voice from behind them gets their attention, prompting to turn and see Paul and Taryn rushing toward them both. "You two alright?!" A drenched Kurt can only nod numbly while a steamed Amanda grits her teeth.

"That no good piece of ill-bred trash! How would he like it if someone swamped him like he just did Kurt?! Especially with the air being cold like it is right now!" Taryn gives Amanda a smirk at that.

"Let's find out. When Kurt's dry and feeling up to it." Amanda nods back and snickers, Taryn not far behind before she looks Kurt over. "We better get you dried off so you don't get sick, Kurt."

Paul nods in agreement with Taryn before frowning. Taryn, Kurt and Amanda noticing it.

"What is it, Paul?"

"That was 'Dumbass Duncan' in that car, Kurt. That car belongs to Cindy Moore. She hardly lets anyone else drive it." Starting to shiver from the cold, Kurt sighs.

"Chances are, Paul, if you ask her if she let him drive it, she'll probably just smirk at you and not say anything."

"You've got a point there. C'mon, let's get you back to the Institute so you can dry off and get warm, Kurt. You want in on this, Amanda? It'll give you the chance to play 'Nurse' for him." A deep red blush from Amanda, yet with a smile, is her reply before she speaks.

"Much as I'd love to, Paul, I can't. My folks are wary enough about me dating Kurt even though he's kind, handsome and sweet." Pecking Kurt softly on his cheek, Amanda says, "I hope you don't get sick too badly, Kurt. It wouldn't do for you to be sniffling through our next date." Kurt can only nod quietly as Amanda starts away before moving toward her.

"Amanda, perhaps I should escort you home? Just to be sure you don't get 'swamped' as well just for being around me." Amanda mulls it over before nodding.

"Okay, Kurt. But once I'm home, you teleport your cute butt to the Institute so you can get dry and warm." Kurt can't help but blush at that before he nods and goes to Amanda's side. As the two walk on, Paul and Taryn can only chuckle softly.

"Can you imagine a cuter couple, Paul?"

"One or two, Taryn." Offering his arm, he then asks, "Shall I escort you home, Lady Fujioka?" Her cheeks going rosy pink, Taryn nods and silently links her arm with his.

_(SHIELD heli-carrier; Shinji's quarters; three hours later)_

As he lies on the cot in the barely furnished, yet big, room, Shinji's wide awake and looking up at the ceiling. To say that sleep would be impossible for him because of earlier in the shower would be half of it. The other half of it is Irene's message to him. Needless to say, he still finds it all very disconcerting.

Thoughts of Laura suddenly reenter his mind, along with the sight of her lithe nude body, her swimsuit down to her knees, before she brought it back up and exited the shower via the vent grate. Ensuring, of course, that Shinji got a good luck at the outline of her butt. Shinji then groans at feeling his body react. Again.

'It seems I'm in for a long night.' His face going in a blush before he decides to take care of it, he muses, 'I imagine that Laura's deep asleep by now.' Meanwhile…

_(Laura's quarters; same time)_

On her back on the cot, her face a soft red as she recalls the details of Shinji's body, Laura can't help but yearn to feel him against her again. Only with the both of them naked before Shinji lays on top… Laura suddenly bolts upright, her face going flame red at the audacity of her thoughts.

'Am I in "2nd Stage Heat" already?!' Putting her right hand between her jog top-covered breasts, Laura feels her heart hammering before moving her left hand down to her panties. Grimacing at feeling a large amount of moisture there, Laura skins them off before doffing the jog top.

'I wouldn't be surprised if I am. At this rate, I'm liable to pounce on Shinji and have my way with him in front of everybody else! I need to relieve these urges, pronto! At least Agents Fontaine and Romanoff gave me a few pointers for such an occasion!' Six minutes later, Laura begins panting before arching her back, putting her pillow over her face to muffle her cry.

"SHINJI!" For an instant, she can hear Shinji cry out her name via her enhanced hearing.

"_LAURA!"_ That in itself gets Laura to grin softly before electing to fall asleep in the nude.

'Now if only…' Her thought trails off as she surrenders herself to sleep. Grin on her face still.

_(Shinji's quarters; same time)_

Breathing heavily in the aftermath, Shinji grimaces at the mess in his undershorts.

'I better get them switched out and cleaned up before it sets.' Getting up from his cot, Shinji makes quick work of cleaning himself up and changing his undershorts. 'Now to go to the laundry area and get them laundered. Fast.' As he exits his quarters, he sees Fury walking along the corridor toward him. When Fury sees him, the man breaks out into a grin.

"Can't sleep, son?"

"Um, not really, sir. Gotta do some laundry before I see about sleep." Fury arches an eyebrow at that before his grin goes to an understanding smile.

"Say no more, son. It should take you thirty minutes to get it done. Oh, wake-up time's at 0530."

"I understand, sir. But, there's no clock in the room."

"Oh, but there is. Shall we?" Curious, Shinji nods and lets Fury in. Seeing the Director go to a wall and point to a horizontal panel measuring 3x1 inches, he hears Fury speaking. "This right here is the clock. When the time comes, its lens will flash red, five times in rapid succession, with a shrill klaxon sounding off." Shinji nods his understanding at it before Fury goes on.

"Come down to 7th level after you've awakened, PTs and running shoes on. That's where the exercise area is. We're going to put some mass onto your frame."

"I understand, sir."

"Good. I'll show you to the laundry area because I've something to discuss with you anyway." Shinji blinks at that before nodding and following the man. Seeing the 'Laundry' sign two minutes later, Shinji and Fury walk in. With Fury nodding his head toward the first washer. "Toss 'em on in and set it following the cues." Shinji does so and, within twenty seconds, the washer's running.

"Nice washers. But, what about the cleaning solution and drying them?"

"It's contained within the washer, with the washer doubling as a dryer. So there's no need to worry about lugging around different kinds of cleaning agents or holding anyone with laundry up. But that's not the important thing right now." Fury looks at Shinji with his good eye before smirking softly.

"I know you had a visitor in the shower, Shinji. A female visitor." Shinji's face can't help but go beet red before Fury goes on. "I'm not going to scold either of you if that's what you're worried about. If anything, it shows that we've got a weak point in our monitoring equipment."

"But… how did you know? I saw no cameras in the shower area."

"There may not be cameras for the sake of privacy, Shinji, but there are heat sensors in the walls and ceiling tiles. The purpose of them is to alert us if there's an immediate health issue. Like, say for example, an Agent had fallen in the shower and is alone."

"Allowing the appropriate parties to respond. But, how'd you know it was a female visitor, though?"

"Excellent question, Shinji. The answer is because the sensors are so finely tuned, they're able to discern body patterns from one gender to another. Basically a vague outline if you will."

"I see, sir."

"With that thought in mind, Shinji, look forward to a hard workout come morning. Clear?" Shinji nods at the glare in Fury's good eye, seeing the non-malice behind it.

"Yes sir!" For good measure, Shinji adds a slightly sloppy salute, getting Fury to grin softly.

"We'll work on that salute of yours."

_(Xavier Institute; student level; same time)_

"It's been a crazy day for us today, hasn't it?" Scott's query has Jean nodding in agreement before he goes on. "Meeting a guy from an alternate dimension filled with combat and suffering on a massive scale." Jean can't help but snort at that.

"That's putting things rather mildly, Scott." He can only shrug before she chuckles. "I still can't believe that Fury suggested the Brotherhood try being real heroes instead of posers."

"You're not the only one." Sighing while stretching out his arms, he adds, "At least we got to see Paul and Taryn again. That was nice."

"Very. Looks like things are starting to look up for us now." Little do either one realize Jean's about to be quite wrong. Next thing they know, they hear Kurt sneezing in his room. "Poor Kurt. His walking Amanda home cost him time in getting back here. Even with his teleportation."

"You know how Kurt is, Jean." Scott's words get Jean to giggle before sighing softly.

"Who'd have thought Kurt would turn out to be such a romantic?"

_(SHIELD heli-carrier; 0530; Shinji's quarters)_

Rousing himself from sleep at the flashing light and klaxon, Shinji blearily blinks at the light and sound before sighing.

"The Colonel wasn't kidding. That'd be enough to wake even a coma patient, I think." He then gets up from the cot and ties the running shoes onto his feet. Stretching his arms and legs out, he then opens the door and exits the room before going toward the staircase leading downward.

'I wonder what the exercise area's like, anyway.' When he sees the sign for the 7th level, along with the open hatch for it, he steps through the hatch and blinks.

The whole level is a massive gymnasium. Within it a basketball court, an open area for physical exercises, a rock-climbing wall, a weight-lifting area and a boxing ring. Surrounding them is a large track that Shinji can only estimate to be three miles altogether.

"Wow."

"I figured you'd react like that, Shinji." Fury's voice from behind gets Shinji to turn around and see Fury dressed in PTs. "You ready, son?"

"As I'll ever be, sir." Fury nods his approval before nodding his head toward the weight-lifting area.

"Let's see about getting some mass on your arms first. The weights are at 5 lb increments. You look like you can do 25 lbs, so we'll start with that. Just to see for sure."

"Yes, sir." Seating himself at one of the lateral machines for arms, Shinji puts the pin at '25' and puts his arms into place. As he moves his arms forward, he feels moderate resistance, but is able to complete the cycle before bringing his arms back. "How many altogether, sir?"

"15, Shinji. You feel any resistance?"

"Yes sir."

"That's a good thing. Lets you know your arm muscles are working." Frowning, he then says, "I take it NERV wasn't big on physical fitness."

"No sir. Only mental fitness. And only at times to ensure we can synch with the Evangelions."

"Then I guess I've got my work cut out for me." Smirking, he adds, "I like a challenge." Shinji can't help but smirk right back at him.

"I'm as much a challenge as you'll likely get, sir."

"That's the spirit, son!" He then watches intently as Shinji resumes the exercise on his arms. Once he's reached 15, Fury nods. "Okay. 15 more."

"Yes sir." Little do either of them realize they're being watched by Laura and Val both. Laura can't help but feel worried about Shinji before she feels Val's hand on her shoulder.

"He'll be alright, Laura. Nick's a hard taskmaster, but he's not a sadist."

"You're right. Viper and the rest of HYDRA are sadists. Maybe even the people at NERV. Some of them, anyway. I mean, who puts a kid into a combat machine without prior training? I mean, if it was a desperate situation, that's one thing. But his 'Father', calling him back to Tokyo-3, not telling him why he's being called back? That's all kinds of flying red flags."

"I agree, Laura." Looking the girl over, seeing that she's wearing the regulation PT shorts and a blue SHIELD-issue sports bra, Val then asks, "You sure you don't want to put on a PT shirt? That sports bra you're wearing isn't exactly meant to be seen."

"I'm sure, Val. I'm going to build up a sweat as it is. This way, I'll be able to cool down faster. Besides, it's not like I have much of a chest."

With that, she seats herself at a leg split machine, across from Shinji's position, turns toward the weights and pins a '75' mark. Turning back toward Shinji, she sees his face is beet red and winks at him.

"Morning, Shinji."

"Morning, Laura. Sleep well?"

"Moderately well, considering I was all alone in my quarters." Putting her legs into place, she brings them together before separating them. "You?"

"Had a little difficulty sleeping. Being asleep somewhere unfamiliar for the first time, after all." Laura nods her understanding as she exercises. Relishing in the sight of Shinji's face going redder every time she splits her legs before giggling.

"What's wrong, Shinji? You're looking like a lobster being boiled." In the background, an exasperated Val can only face-palm herself while Fury rolls his good eye before clearing his throat.

"Keep exercising, JO Ikari. Consider this an exercise in coping with distractions that can happen in the field. JO Howlett, unless you want your future husband to spontaneously combust while exercising, you might want to ease off on the 'subtle as a lit stick of dynamite' routine a bit." Laura's beet red face, along with a sheepish grin, is her reply before she purses her lips toward Shinji.

'She's going to put me into hormone meltdown!' Shaking his head, Shinji refocuses on his arm exercises. Once he's reached 15 again, he relaxes his arms and sees Laura nodding at him before smirking sultrily.

"Mmm, what I could do with those arms wrapped around me." Closing her legs again before she opens them again, she asks, "Could you imagine my legs wrapping around you, Shinji?" Next thing she knows, Val's muscling her out of the machine and the exercise area. "Agent Fontaine?!"

"You're going to get a lesson in modesty during training in public while in heat, young lady! That includes speaking like a lady while exercising in a common area!" Laura looks back toward a still-red Shinji and sees him watching after her before she smirks. Val catching it. "What's that smirk about?!"

"He did his remaining arm splits without any resistance, Agent Fontaine."

"Maybe so, JO Howlett, but you're still acting like… a teenage girl with a crush!" Sighing as they stop at the staircase leading downward, Val softens her voice. "Not that I don't applaud your rationale, but couldn't you have kept the flirting low key? Or at least more sedate?" Next thing she knows, Laura's smirk fades before she nods and sighs audibly.

"I'm sorry, Agent Fontaine, but I've never… had a crush before. Let alone been able to express my feelings." The smirk returns, however, as she adds, "But it was fun to see him go red like that." Val gives a barely audible chuckle herself.

"Yes, I guess it was. But there's a time and place for everything. And that was not the time or the place for what you just did." Smirking herself, she adds, "You're just going to have to find a different way to encourage him." Laura blushes beet red at that.

"You saw right through me, didn't you?"

"I'd been there before, and done what you did. I'd even often wound up with the wrong kind of boyfriend as a result." Her blush still beet red, Laura snickers. "What're you snickering about?"

"Did you ever show yourself, fully, to a boy you liked while he was taking a shower?"

"Once or twice, but only after I got comfortable enough to do so. As for what you asked, I take it you did that last night?"

"I did." Val can't help but let out a snort at that.

"I don't think I want to know how you pulled that off." Sighing fondly, Val adds, "Thinking back on them to this day, those times were the ones I'd felt would last." Curious, Laura kinks her head to the side.

"What became of them?"

"One moved away from me, the other died trying to stop a robbery." Val's hazel eyes drip tears before she wipes them clear. "I hadn't been close to anyone since then. At least until after I met Nick."

"What was he like back then?"

"The same as he is today, actually. Although back then he didn't take those barely into their teens under his wing. But if you think about it even more, he didn't come across many teenagers with circumstances like you two." Laura can't help but nod in agreement before, with a frown, groaning.

"We're both screwed, aren't we?"

"I wouldn't say that, Laura. You were both dealt lousy hands in life. But you also rose to the occasions when it counted the most. Your breaking free from HYDRA's grip and Shinji fighting for the survival of humanity. Even if you'd been created by HYDRA so they can replicate the Weapon-X program and it is unethically necessary because of the circumstances of the fight on Shinji's end." That last part gets Laura's claws to spring out from her right hand, along with a sneer on Laura's face.

"I'll tell you one thing for sure, Agent Fontaine. Shinji's Dad better hope he never meets me or I'll skewer him. Whether he be my future Father-in-Law or not. And don't even get me started on that spoiled brat Asuka."

"Mmm. Tim told me about the sketches Shinji did last night and showed them to me." Giving Laura a soft grin, she adds, "Shinji even did one of you, after Mr Kaji's sketch. Granted, it's not complete just yet. But he's done a remarkable job on it." Laura can only blink at that.

"Me?" At Val's nod, Laura adds, "But… I'd never even been to Tokyo-3!"

"True. Best guess in your case is that he saw the best possible way to get both your inner and outer beauty onto paper." Laura's face quickly takes on a rosy red hue at that before she shakes her head.

"How can I have inner and outer beauty, though?! I'm not normal!"

"Normal as in created the usual way or…"

"The usual way." Holding herself around her midsection, Laura asks, "Have you ever asked yourself what your parents would be like if you hadn't even known them? Take me for example. My Mother's a former HYDRA scientist and my Father's an early experiment on mutants. What does that say about us?"

"I'd imagine that conversations around a kitchen table would be awkward at times." Laura points her face downward, only for Val to gently bring it back up. "But the fact of the matter is you do have parents. And they do care about you. If they hadn't, they wouldn't have even tried to help you. Never forget that."

"I won't, Agent Fontaine." Seeing Val arch her eyebrows again, Laura giggles and says, "I won't, Val."

"Good. Shinji's blood should be cooled down by now. Want to finish your workout, like a lady should?" Laura gives a nod at that, getting Val to grin softly. "Good. Let's try a leg curler this time. It should be a little more dignified than the leg splitter you were on earlier." Laura echoes the grin, getting Val to smirk. "You want to try a prone one, don't you?"

"I do, Val. In fact, I think I saw one diagonally from Shinji earlier." Meanwhile…

"You're doing good, Shinji. Another three and we'll go on to do your forearms."

"Yes sir." As Shinji finishes the remainder, he hears a male voice.

"So, this is 'Seven Minutes and Five Slabs of Lasagna Shinji' huh?" Shinji and Fury both look before seeing a muscular African-American man smirking down at Shinji. "I thought you'd be… taller. Given the way Ops Director Dugan was talking last night. But what do I see when I find who he's talking about? A scrawny kid, barely in his teens."

"Stand down, Thompson." Fury's voice brooks no dissent, prompting Jones to arch an eyebrow. "I mean it, Thompson. JO Ikari is a work in progress and is just now getting into his stride. Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear, sir." With that, Thompson walks away before Fury sighs.

"Sorry about that, Shinji. But when it comes to Agent Thompson… he's a bit sensitive."

"About what, sir?"

"Your time on the confidence course last night? Going through all levels through sabotage? It counts as an unofficial record. He held the previous record for male operatives with the time of 11 minutes at 'Zulu' level."

"But, I wasn't even trying to set a record. I was just trying to get through the course." Curious, he asks, "What about Laura? Did she beat anyone's record at 'Alpha' level when it comes to female operatives?"

"She did indeed, Shinji. Agent Gail Myers, time of 8 minutes, 10 seconds." Shinji nods his understanding before Fury adjusts the machine for forearm strengthening. "Okay, Shinji. Same weight amount, 15 reps. Go."

_(Xavier Institute; same time)_

Kitty wakes up miserable, her eyes watering, before she sneezes.

"Oh man. This is, like, all I need now!" Reaching over for a Kleenex, she mutters, "Leave it to me to, like, be like a human barometer and get this overnight!" She then lets off another sneeze just before Beast knocks on the open door and walks in.

"Good morning, Kitty." Kitty can't help but roll her eyes at the greeting.

"If you can, like, call it good, Mr McCoy." She lets off another sneeze and groans. "Any chance the Professor can, like, call me in sick for today?"

"The Professor's out for right now. As are Scott, Jean and Ms Munroe. But I can make the call for you though, Kitty." The Chicago native nods thankfully at Beast before he adds, "Just be sure you keep yourself snug in your blankets. I'll bring you some soup."

"Thank you, Mr McCoy." She then lets off another sneeze and groans before covering herself back up. "Some day this is, like, going to be." Letting off another sneeze, Kitty can't help but close her eyes. Only to bolt them back open. The image of her being in class in her underwear appearing in her mind.

_(SHIELD heli-carrier; 0825; level 15; Briefing Room 5)_

"Okay, if you'll pardon the accommodations of the makeshift classroom, we'll get underway." Pierce looks over the two teens, dressed in their heavy BDUs, minus their covers, before going on. "I admit, it's an honor to be your first instructor in threat assessment. Before I go on, any questions?" Seeing none, Pierce goes on. "Alright then. Let's start." Going to the board at the front of the room, he picks up an erasable marker.

Only for two figures to appear out of nowhere before one of them sneezes. Just as quickly as they'd arrived, they vanish. Pierce can't help but blink incredulously at that. Shinji and Laura, however, look at each other.

"Was that…"

"Kitty and Kurt?" Next thing they know, Kitty and Kurt appear again. Only with a dark-skinned girl that blinks.

"Where am I at?" Pierce clears his throat before replying.

"The SHIELD heli-carrier, Miss." The girl blinks her eyes again before seeing Shinji and Laura before grinning.

"Shinji and Laura?" At their nods, the girl says, "Hi. I'm…" When Kurt sneezes, they all disappear as the girl begins introducing herself. Pierce can only blink again before face-palming himself.

"I know that Colonel Fury said for me to watch out for anything unusual, but I thought he'd meant from you two. Not unexpected pop-ins." Taking his palm away from his face, he hastily adds, "No offense intended."

"None taken, Agent Pierce." Laura nods at Shinji's words before the latter goes on. "We were rather surprised by what'd happened as much as you were."

"Very well, then. Since we've established that anything unusual applies to all situations, let's proceed, shall we. Open your field operations manual to page 48 if you please." Shinji and Laura nod silently and do so.

"The scenario on that page is a classic favorite of power mad despots the world over. The 'Give me money/power/respect or I'll bomb you to the Stone Age'. Believe it or not, some places that had been threatened like that and or bombed seem to be or had been stuck in the Stone Age already if you get my drift." The two teens give a slight chuckle at that before Pierce goes on.

"Right then. That approach generally has…"


	12. Chapter 12

Evolution Shinji 12

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

_(rural Germany; same time)_

In the quiet countryside outside Berlin, a massive mansion sits. Any person going by the mansion would be unaware that it houses the vilest minds ever to walk the Earth. And one of them is not very happy right now.

"She wrecked it, Father! She wrecked our operations base!" Throwing an antique vase onto the floor, Lady Hydra screams out, "She even tried to kill me! After everything I'd done for her!"

"I agree, Andrea. After all, you did make her for a purpose. She had no business developing free will whatsoever." The voice of her Father agreeing with her slightly calms her down before he adds, "We must find her before SHIELD does so we can correct that." Next thing they know, three people arrive out of nowhere.

One young male, blue in color with a tail and asleep, a young Caucasian girl wearing pink short-cut pajamas with mud splattered on them and a dark-skinned girl wearing a white sweater and blue jeans. Andrea and her Father both blink at that as the two girls look around and see the both of them.

"Um, hello." A sneeze from her follows it. The Caucasian girl sheepishly grins before the young male sneezes as well, causing the three to all vanish. Both Andrea and her Father blink again before turning to each other.

"We don't see that very often."

"No, my daughter. We don't."

_(Bayville, NY; same time)_

"You know that Kurt would never let anything happen to Amanda, George." The dark-skinned woman sighs as she adds, "Besides, those two really care for each other. Kurt's really quite dependable when you think about it. And Amanda's just as dependable."

"I know, Margali. It's just that… why couldn't Amanda have found a normal boyfriend that's not a constant target?"

Next thing they know, Amanda, Kurt and another girl appear in the living room. The girl blinks at them before smiling.

"Hi. You must be Mr and Mrs Sefton." She then sneezes and asks, "Do you have any Kleenex?"

"Bless you. Yes, here." Bringing out a Kleenex for the girl, she adds, "We are." Margali grimaces at the mud on the girl before putting it out of her mind and handing her the Kleenex. "You?"

"Thanks. I'm Kitty 'Shadowcat' Pryde. It's, like, nice to meet you." Hearing Kurt's about to sneeze, Kitty adds, "We're about, like, ready to leave now. Later!" When Kurt sneezes, all three of them leave the Sefton's living room.

"Oh my. Kurt must have been so drenched to have that bad a cold." Margali's calm demeanor rattles George to no end. When he hears the phone ring, he goes and picks it up.

"Sefton residence. Yes. I see. It's not really the boy's fault, Mr Campbell. He's sick. He got splashed by a jerk in a car while walking with our daughter last light. Yes, I'm aware that he's a mutant. So what? He's a nice person still. Well, you can walk your bigoted butt onto a mine field and get blown to smithereens. Of course, you'd have to be intelligent enough to even find one!" Slamming the phone down onto the cradle, George can only shake his head.

"The school, I take it?"

"Yeah, the principal, no less, Margali. It seems that Kurt and Kitty flashed into Amanda's classroom at the side of Amanda's desk. When she started checking on Kurt, all three of them flashed out. Only to reappear there just seconds ago, if only to 'drop' Amanda back off into class before Kurt and Kitty flashed back out."

"Oh dear. I hope they'll get back to the Institute without difficulty. Perhaps some soup will help them to recover."

"Do you think I should call the Institute, Margali? Let them know they have a sick teleporter, with his powers running amok while he's unconscious?"

"No, George. Kurt has enough on his plate as it is. I just hope the next place he appears isn't crowded."

_(Brotherhood House; outside; same time)_

"Okay, Freddy. You ready, yo?"

"I'm ready, little buddy. Let it rip." Toad grins before starting up the chainsaw and puts it against the segment he'd cut down the previous day. With Fred holding it in place, Toad carefully cuts a 'V' into the segment from the middle. Only to hear Fred chuckling. "That tickles, little buddy."

"Whoops. Went too far up it seems, yo." Next thing they know, Kurt and Kitty arrive into their yard, getting Toad and Fred to blink. "What's with Fuzzy, 'Cat'?" Kitty lets out a sneeze, with Toad saying, "That was a good one."

"Thanks, I think. Every time he sneezes, we'd, like, teleport to somewhere." Gulping nervously at the sight of Toad holding a chainsaw, Kitty adds, "Now would be, like, a good time for you to sneeze, Kurt." As if he'd heard her, Kurt does so. With them teleporting out of sight. Toad and Fred both blink again before shrugging and going back to work.

_(Fujioka residence; same time)_

"Mr and Mrs Fujioka, I'm Paul Haits. It's very nice to meet you both." Seated at Taryn's side, Paul can't help but feel nervous at the sight of Mr Fujioka sharpening a samurai sword in front of him while Mrs Fujioka pours tea for all four.

"I admit it's pleasant to meet the young man my little girl has the fortune to know. You seem to be far better to… I believe his name was Scott Summers." Taryn gives her Father a slight glare, prompting him to hastily add, "Not because of him being a mutant, mind you. It's those sunglasses of his. He never once took them off so I can see his eyes."

"I don't think that'd be a good idea for him to do so, Mr Fujioka. From what Scott told me, he can't control his eye blasts without a barrier due to damage he'd sustained as a child."

"How dreadfully sad. So young to be burdened by such a chore." Mrs Fujioka's voice is serene as she adds, "Yet determined to be sure no one is harmed unintentionally. From what you say, Haits-_san_, that's not the safest ability to have without some kind of control."

"That's what the Institute is about, Mother, Father. Helping mutants control their powers." Next thing they know, two forms appear in the living room out of nowhere. Startling Mr and Mrs Fujioka both and getting Paul and Taryn to blink before Taryn speaks. "Kurt got sick, didn't he, Kitty?"

"He did." Kitty lets off a sneeze before saying, "We've been, like, teleporting quite a bit. Every time he sneezes, no less." Shuddering, she adds, "We just, like, teleported from the Brotherhood House. Toad and Blob were both outside and Toad was, like, holding a running chainsaw against a treetop. With Blob holding it up."

"Most unfortunate, but you now have a swordmaster behind yourself and your demon friend!" Kitty looks behind her and sees Mr Fujioka raise his blade before swinging downward. Only for the blade to phase right through them before Kurt sneezes. Blinking, Mr Fujioka asks, "Where… how… no blood?!"

"That's 'Shadowcat' for you, Mr Fujioka. She's able to pass through solid objects or have them pass through her."

"Okay. What of the demon that she was with?"

"Oh, that's 'Nightcrawler', Daddy. He's a friendly, so if you'd avoid using a sword on him…" Mr Fujioka nods in agreement before looking at Paul.

"Very well, Haits-_san_. I consent to the relationship you and my daughter begin. But, should you ever mistreat her…" Mr Fujioka swings around and slices a training dummy in half. "Do I make myself clear?" Paul can only nod silently before Mr Fujioka sheaths his sword. "Now, to discuss the young man that Taryn would like us to adopt as her brother."

"Oh. You mean Shinji." At Mr Fujioka's nod, Paul asks, "How much about him did Taryn tell you?"

"Enough for us to know that he's been bereft of parental affection for far too long." Mrs Fujioka takes a sip of tea before going on. "We wish to rectify that as soon as possible." Mr Fujioka nods in agreement before speaking again.

"I understand he's currently in the care of a group named 'SHIELD', with a Mr Fury acting as a Guardian for the boy."

"He is, sir." Looking toward Taryn, he then asks, "Just how much about him did you tell them, Taryn?" She blushes a cute pink before sighing.

"I held some things back so they wouldn't be freaked out of adopting him. If it was possible to, anyway." Mrs Fujioka turns toward Taryn, warm serene smile on her face still.

"Why would we be freaked out of adopting him, sweetie? Please, do tell us more about him. No holding back this time either." Taryn nods, only for Paul to interject.

"Um, perhaps it'll be best if it was told by Shinji himself when you meet him. Taryn and I were told secondhand by Scott yesterday and, well, nut-shelling, Shinji's story is like something out of a sci-fi/horror story."

_(SHIELD heli-carrier; Armory; one hour later)_

"So, we meet again." Thompson grins wryly at Shinji before looking over the paperwork and nodding. Taking note of Colonel Fury and Laura's presence both before going on.

"1 FNH 5.7 pistol, 2 20-round magazines and carrying case, black. 1 Kydex holster, right-hand side, black. 4 20-round magazines. 3 Kydex two-magazine carriers, black. 500 5.7x28mm practice rounds. 500 5.7x28mm armor-piercing rounds. 1 cleaning kit."

Passing the paperwork to Shinji, he says, "Sign on the line, if you please, JO Ikari." Shinji nods and does so. Once it's signed, Shinji puts everything into one pile as best he can before lifting it off of the counter and clearing the way. Fury then steps up to the counter, Laura at his side still.

"Okay, Thompson, got one more for you. JO Howlett's expressed an interest in firearms training as well. Here's her paperwork." Fury hands another form to Thompson and sees him nod.

"Yes, sir. Anything in particular, JO Howlett?"

"I'll train on the same kind of arm Shinji does."

"Alright. I'll be right back." Once Thompson's out of sight, Shinji clears his throat.

"Um, Colonel, are the AP rounds really necessary?"

"Yep. Mainly to acquaint you with the muzzle blast and shooting at steel targets. Plus, there will come times when HYDRA will pop up when you're training in the field. And they will not hesitate to try hurting you." Laura nods her head in agreement before speaking up.

"Their thugs wear either green business suits or armored combat suits. Use AP on them both in either case. But keep this rule in mind, though. 'No gun in hand, don't shoot.' Not everyone wearing a green business suit is a HYDRA thug."

"Got it." As he's currently wearing the pistol belt, Shinji attaches the holster to his right side and the magazine carriers to his left. He then puts the four extra magazines into two of the holders before opening the pistol's case. "Whoa."

"That seems to be a justifiable reaction for someone that'd never fired a gun outside an Evangelion before." Fury's comment gets Laura to nod in agreement as Thompson walks back up to the counter. Materials in hand. Same amount of equipment as assigned to Shinji, no less. Laura signs on the paperwork and clears the counter before Thompson clears his throat.

"Hey, Ikari?" When Shinji looks and sees the man grinning sheepishly, he goes on. "I didn't mean anything ill towards you. I was just surprised to see you in person, is all. But, I gotta know. Did you really eat five slabs of lasagna?" At his nod, Thompson lets out a whistle. "You must've been starved to death. I mean, one slab of lasagna is 8x8x3 inches! And you ate five slabs?!"

"I know. I couldn't believe it myself."

"You couldn't believe what yourself, JO Ikari?" The sound of Pincer's voice gets their attention as the Admin Director, and his entourage behind him, walks into the Armory. Only for Pincer to see Shinji and Laura both with firearms material. "Fury, what is the meaning of this?! Bringing children, one a former HYDRA creation, onto the heli-carrier was bad enough, but to arm them as well?!"

"It's an option for the program to educate on firearms safety and usage for those interested. JO Ikari hadn't fired a gun outside an Evangelion and JO Howlett's training is lacking in that aspect."

"Are you still talking about that delusion, Fury? There's no such thing as alternate dimensions, giant space aliens coming to doom humanity or big cyborgs! It's all in his head!"

"I take it you didn't read Miss Grey or Professor Xavier's statements, then." Pincer shakes his head in the 'negative' before Fury says, "You might want to. It'll make for very interesting reading."

"I suppose I'll have to see, Fury."

During Pincer and Fury's 'conversation', Shinji slips the pistol out of the case and ejects the magazine from the well before slipping the pistol into the holster. He then opens a box of practice ammo and begins loading a magazine. Laura sitting beside him, soft warm smile on her face before she does the same thing with hers. Only putting the holster on her left side for cross-drawing and magazine carriers on her right side. Pincer, however, notices them before sighing.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Fury." Fury nods silently before Pincer speaks again. "The President wants you to use an idea that may not be to your liking when it comes to the domes."

"What kind of idea, Pincer?" When Pincer doesn't say anything, Fury groans. "Trask's project."

"It's the only one that shows any kind of promise, Fury. Especially since a mutant named 'Apocalypse' is involved."

At the name of 'Apocalypse', Shinji slightly stiffens while finishing loading the first magazine, but doesn't stop. He just puts the first one into a carrier before picking up the other magazine still in the case and begins loading it.

Laura, however, feels his reaction. Looking at him from the corner of her left eye, she keeps loading the magazine until it reaches capacity. Resolving to talk to Fury about it later on, seeing as he hadn't noticed Shinji's reaction, she puts the first magazine into a carrier before loading the next one.

"Much as I hate to admit it, Pincer, we do need a first line of defense. I just don't think using the 'Sentinel Project' is a good idea. Those things were a disaster from the beginning."

"Maybe, but they got results." Fury gives a snort at that before speaking sarcastically.

"Oh sure. 45 humans killed, 100 injured, no dangerous mutants captured. Great results." The sarcasm just previously in Fury's voice is quickly replaced by anger as he says, "Trask's bigotry toward mutants was the reason he'd been dismissed from SHIELD. He wanted to eliminate even the ones willing to live alongside humanity in civility. That kind of attitude towards others is unacceptable under any circumstances."

"I know, Fury. It's too bad that most of humanity doesn't want that." Pincer then lets out a snort and adds, "I can't help but wonder how his name came about. Or why he's so angry."

"Chances are he auditioned for a spot on 'The Smurfs' and was rejected by the casting director. I mean, if he'd pre-picked his name at his audition, 'Apocalypse Smurf' doesn't exactly sound like it'd fit right with the others." The woman of Pincer's entourage lightly snickers at Fury's comment before he goes on.

"Even more, I don't think the costumers could have made a hat and pair of pants that big to fit his big fat butt."

The woman suddenly screeches in laughter before leaning against the bespectacled male in the entourage while laughing in mirth. Her laughter gets Laura and Shinji both to crack grins, their shoulders shaking in contained mirth. Thompson begins to chuckle, only to hear the comm. chime. Which quickly kills the mirthful mood, but not the grins.

"Armory."

"_This is Dr Jones. Is Colonel Fury there?"_

"He is, Dr. Just a moment." Fury strides over before speaking.

"Talk to me, Gabe."

"_When can you bring Shinji and Laura up to the 3__rd__ level?"_

"I'd say when we get done on the firing line. Why? What's up?"

"_I was just wondering if they'd like to help me test out something new I'd developed."_ Fury looks toward them and see them looking toward Fury. Curiosity in their features.

"I'd say they're curious, Gabe. We'll see you when we get done here."

"_I'll be waiting, Nicholas."_ With that, the comm. shuts off and Fury turns back to the two teens.

"Okay. You're only going to have time for three magazines. Two practice, one AP. The AP being last." Shinji and Laura both nod before Fury goes on. "Once we get done on the firing line, you're to secure your remaining ammo as best you can before we go to the lab. Questions?" Hearing none coming, he says, "When you get done with your second mags, unless you already are done, load a third mag."

"We actually just got done with our second mags, sir." Shinji's soft reply is accompanied by a nod from Laura before he goes on. "We were just waiting for further instructions as we didn't know how many mags to load to begin with other than the first two." Fury can't help but grin softly at Shinji and Laura both before nodding in approval.

"Alright. Once you've loaded your third mags with AP, we'll get you shooting." He blinks and sees their mags are already halfway loaded. "If that doesn't say you two are eager to shoot, I don't know what will." Thompson bursts out into raucous laughter before falling back onto the floor. His laughter going on, even after impact, becomes somewhat contagious. The only ones not laughing, however, are Pincer and William.

Once their mags are loaded with AP, Fury reaches for two pairs of shooting glasses and hearing protectors before handing them to the two. Reaching for a pair of hearing protectors himself and putting them on, he then ensures their protection is in place and leads them onto the firing line.

"Okay. JO Ikari, you're in row 3. JO Howlett, row 4." Once they're in place, he says, "Bring the pistols out of the holsters and bring the slide back." Once they're done, he goes on, with them following his prompts. "Lock it into place and load one of the first two mags. Release the slide into battery. Your weapons are now hot. Aim center mass and open fire." At that, their pistols begin spitting semi-auto fire.

OMAKE

"_Chances are he auditioned for a spot on 'The Smurfs' and was rejected."_ Apocalypse ends his observation of Fury before scowling.

"How'd he figure out what'd happened? I would've made a great 'Smurf'. Even if I was big back then."


	13. Chapter 13

Evolution Shinji 13

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

_(Xavier Institute; Medical Wing; Same time)_

"Ingenious, and yet…" McCoy shakes his head in dismay before adding, "Incredibly barbaric." Next thing he knows, the intercom for the front door chimes. "Med-wing, Dr McCoy speaking."

"_Hey, Dr McCoy. Paul Haits here. Taryn and her parents are here with me. We came to see if Mr Logan can get in touch with Mr Fury."_ McCoy can't help but blink at that before finding himself curious.

"I don't see why not. May I ask what this is about?" The next voice he hears is Taryn's.

"_It's about Shinji. My parents would like to see about adopting him."_

"I see. Did you brief them fully on his life before he entered this dimensional plane? Or about him fighting for humanity's survival against massive alien life-forms seeking to eliminate the rest of humanity in the wake of a global disaster?" When Taryn's voice comes back, it's with chagrin.

"_Um, no. I kinda had to leave those parts out so they wouldn't be freaked out of adopting him."_ McCoy can only blink before sighing.

"I see. Come on in, 1st door to the left."

_(Outside)_

"Okay. Thank you, Dr McCoy." Taryn then looks back and sees her parents' eyes are wide in shock. "I know it's a lot to take in, but that's only part of what I didn't tell you."

Paul, however, opens the door and the four enter the massive manor. As they walk toward the door for the med-wing, Taryn's parents can't help but be impressed at the spaciousness of the building.

"I wonder how many students the Professor has at a time. It can't be easy to house and feed so many young ones on a daily basis."

Mrs Fujioka's comments get a soft smile from Paul and Taryn both as they reach the door. Upon their approach, the door slides open to the left, allowing the four to see a massive blue-furred shape wearing a white lab coat.

"Is that a relative of Kurt's?"

"Many people have often asked that, madam, but I'm afraid it's a coincidence." The form turns around and smiles widely. "I admit, Paul and Taryn, I wasn't expecting a visit from you so soon after yesterday's events." Taryn can only shrug, a sheepish smile on her face.

"My folks wanted to get in touch with Mr Fury as soon as possible. Seeing as Mr Logan knew him the most…"

"I understand." Looking the newest visitors over, he says, "I'm Dr Henry McCoy, but you can call me 'Beast' for obvious reasons, Mr and Mrs Fujioka." Mr Fujioka arches his eyebrows at that before kinking his head to the side.

"What reasons might those be, Doctor? You're very well-read and have a pleasant personality. You're hardly a 'Beast' by any means."

"If you'd been there when my mutation overrode my serums, Mr Fujioka, you'd likely be of the opposite opinion." McCoy sighs at that before shaking his head, "But I do believe we're about to discuss the young man you wish to adopt. A gesture with merits, but not without its challenges, Mr and Mrs Fujioka."

"What kind of challenges, Dr McCoy?" Mrs Fujioka's query gets a sad sigh from McCoy before he moves to the side. Eliciting a shocked gasp from the woman. "What are those?"

"The garment is Shinji's plug-suit. Worn inside a massive bio-weapon named 'Evangelion'. A mesh between alien biology and manmade mechanics. It contains a life-support system that has since expended its main power. These, however…" McCoy picks up two smaller objects before going on.

"Were what I'd just finished examining in greater detail. They're neural-connection clips, to be positioned at the A-10 nerve of the brain. Their purpose is to enable the wearer of these clips to mentally control the 'Evangelion'. However, to ensure a stable connection between the clips and the nerve…"

"Surgery for implantation of the connection points." Mr Fujioka's tone is shaken, yet angered as he goes on. "Those… barbarians!" Seething, he asks, "What are their names so I can end their careers?!"

"That's going to be difficult, Mr Fujioka, seeing as the responsible parties aren't even in this dimension." Mr Fujioka blinks at that before remembering what McCoy had said over the intercom.

"Right. I remember you saying something about dimensional plane of existence, but I put that down to a crossed wire somewhere in the intercom system." McCoy, however, gives Mr Fujioka a soft grin.

"I believe, had I been in your position, I'd have found that to be rather ludicrous. And yet here we are." His grin then fades before he goes on. "But I must agree with you 100%. While the ability to control machinery by thought is quite a feat, there must be a better way than using utter barbarism to attain such a goal." The Fujioka adults stand in silence while Taryn gapes in dismayed horror before she gathers herself.

"How was he when he came in, Doctor?"

"He was unconscious, with a barely there pulse, Taryn. Not only had his suit's life-support system expended its power, the perfluorocarbon liquid residue in his lungs was heavily tainted with both carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide." At the four sets of eyes blinking, he quickly adds, "It's liquid that can be heavily oxygenated. Shinji, however, called it LCL. Even more, it smelled of blood. It took six consecutive washes to wash that horrid stench off of his body."

"Okay. That begs a big-ass 'why' when it comes to the liquid smelling like blood."

"I'm of the same opinion myself, Paul."

_(SHIELD heli-carrier; firing range; same time)_

Pincer and his entourage can't help but blink perplexedly while Fury and Laura both smirk in satisfaction at seeing Shinji's targets. The middle of the steel target has a massive jagged hole in it and the paper target is the same way. Laura's targets, however, have both the head and chest areas eliminated. Pincer then recovers himself before clearing his throat.

"Impressive, Fury. Not only did you bring a delusional youth on board, you brought one that's a dead-on shot with a gun. I feel much safer already."

"Has it ever occurred to you that there might be something to what JO Ikari says, Pincer?"

"I did see him moving his lips, like he was repeating a mantra. 'Die sucker die!'. At least that's what I saw." Fury rolls his good eye before turning toward Shinji.

"JO Ikari, were you moving your lips at any time during the shooting quals? Anything that's not appropriate, that is."

"Other than 'Center the target, pull switch' as I'd been trained, sir, no." Releasing his slide over the expended magazine, he puts the weapon on 'safe' and holsters it. "I must admit though, I now know why Misato looks so relaxed after firing her gun at the range. It's very therapeutic."

"It is. Gabe's waiting. Let's not keep him waiting any longer. Oh, bring the targets you two. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to see them." Shinji and Laura both nod before gathering their targets and following Fury. Shinji looks at Laura's targets and grins.

"Nice big groupings there, Laura." Laura's face goes beet red at that as they return the shooting glasses and hearing protectors to the range's storage area.

"Thank you, Shinji. You've got some nice good kill shots there yourself." Smirking softly, she asks, "Were you thinking of shooting anyone in particular?"

"No comment." Turning his head slightly, he directs his right eye backwards toward Pincer. Getting a snorted giggle from her.

"You're not the only one. Only I was picturing Viper as well." Pincer, however, clears his throat before cutting in.

"I think we can safely classify you both as naturals on a trigger, JOs Howlett and Ikari. Whether or not JO Ikari's 'previous training' is real, of course." Laura rolls her eyes at that before smirking.

"Coming from you, Admin Director Pincer, that's a real compliment." Pincer and his entourage, however, stop in their tracks before moving in a separate direction.

As they walk along the corridor, Shinji mulls over what was being discussed earlier and decides to bring it up.

"Um, Colonel Fury? Can I talk to you, sir? It's about what you and AD Pincer were talking about earlier."

"Yeah, sure, Shinji. Go ahead."

"I don't think using 'Sentinels' will be a good idea either, sir."

"Oh? Did you have a bad experience with a big robot back in your world?"

"Yes, sir. It was called 'Jet Alone'. Nuclear-powered, it looked like a giant metal turkey." Shinji blinks at that before adding, "Whoa. Déjà-vu."

"You okay there, Shinji?" Fury's concern is palpable, as is Laura's, getting Shinji to nod.

"I'm fine, sir. Just thinking I'd said that before, but not really. Kind of like last night with the Quartermaster." Shrugging, with a sheepish grin on his face, Shinji goes back to the topic.

"In any case, 'Jet Alone' was supposed to replace the 'Evangelion' project for combat against the Angels. But it had two major problems. It was unable to project an AT Field to counter an Angel's AT Field. The other problem being…"

"One good hit and the reactor goes into meltdown." Laura's summation gets a nod from Shinji before she asks, "I take it something happened to it?"

"Yeah. During the demonstration, it malfunctioned. Destroyed the building and started making its way to Atsugi City. The only way to shut it down was to get someone into the robot's control room and shut the reactor down. Misato was the one that went in while Unit-01 and I stalled its movement as best we can."

"But, wasn't… there was no pilot, was there?" Fury's query gets a nod from Shinji before the man asks, "When was this?"

"A few days before the 6th Angel, sir." Shinji then blinks as Fury stops, prompting both he and Laura to stop as well, turns around and salutes him. With Laura echoing the salute. Proud grin on her face. Fury's face has a smirk on it before he speaks.

"JO Shinji Ikari, had you been of proper military age when that happened, you'd have been medaled for valor for all your actions to date during your world's war." Shyly, Shinji returns the salute. When Fury ends the salute, Laura and Shinji both end theirs as well.

"Let's get going, you two. Gabe hates to be kept waiting." Fury then turns around and resumes his pace. Laura and Shinji following suit. But not before Laura plants a quick, massive kiss onto Shinji's lips. When it ends, her green eyes say 'I'll give you a proper kiss when we're alone!' Shinji's face is red, as is Laura's, as the two follow the Colonel up to the 3rd level.

When they get to the 3rd level, Fury submits his right hand's palm for security authentication before the hatch buzzes open. As the hatch opens, Fury, Shinji and Laura see the Doctors and scientists on the level bustling around in the work space. Fury then sees Gabriel and grins.

"Sorry it took so long, Gabe, but Shinji was just telling JO Howlett and myself about the time he and Unit-01 took down a giant metal turkey."

"Now that story I'd like to hear. On a later day though. Shall we?" At their nods, he leads them to a table with two mask-like items. Only for the lower portion of the face.

"I'd been developing this for situations involving gas in the field or for water infiltration by Agents. The respireather. Part respirator, part rebreather. It's closed circuit, meaning no bubbles to give you away if you're underwater. If you're already submerged, however, it has a purge valve on the front to expel the water so you can breathe after you've gotten the mouthpiece into your mouth."

"Okay. I'll bite, Gabe. How long does it last?"

"On land, Nicholas, approximately 12 hours. In water, approximately 6." Picking one of them up and turning it around, he goes on. "Behind the left panel on the back end is the respirator's air tank. There's enough air to last an hour before the rebreather, which is on the right side, takes over. In the middle are two air filters, one for each end." Seeing that Shinji and Laura's interests are both peaked, he grins.

"Either of you have questions?" Shinji blinks at that before raising his hand. Getting Gabe to raise an amused eyebrow. "Mr Ikari."

"Can these work in LCL, Dr Jones?" Seeing the man blink, Shinji quickly adds, "Dr McCoy at the Institute said it's like perfluorocarbon liquid."

"Ah. Well, Shinji, that's a very good question. I don't see why not." Curious, he asks, "Why do you ask?" Shinji gives a shrug before speaking again.

"Just curious, Dr Jones." Looking the respireather in Gabe's hands over, he asks, "How will we know if time's up on the filters, though?"

"Excellent question, Shinji. At the top here, right in the middle, is an LED that blinks red to signal time's almost up. Once the LED goes solid red, be somewhere else because if not…"

"You're as good as dead." Laura's summation gets a silent nod from Gabe before she grins. "When do we start, Dr Jones?"

"Whenever you feel ready to, JO Howlett." Laura nods at that before looking toward Shinji. Fury and Gabe doing the same. "JO Ikari?"

"Alright, but it's going to be a long process for me seeing as I can't even swim yet." Gabe nods his understanding as Shinji lifts the one still on the table off of it before starting to walk away. Only to stop and turn toward Laura.

"13th level, fifteen minutes, Laura?" Laura's face goes a soft pink before she smiles widely and nods.

"I'll see you there, Shinji." He returns the nod and walks on before she turns back toward Gabe and Fury both. "He's holding something back, sirs."

"I agree. Asking about something specific like that is not just mere curiosity." Fury nods silently with Gabe's statement before looking toward Laura.

"That's not all, is it, JO Howlett?"

"No sir. While you and Pincer were discussing Apocalypse, Shinji slightly stiffened. I felt his reaction to that name. As if there's a connection of some kind between Shinji and the 'Smurf' reject." Fury smirks at her memory retention before nodding.

"Alright. Something's eating at Shinji and it's big. Has to be something that Irene had talked to him about back at the Institute. Did she say anything to you by any chance?"

"Yes, sir. She said I'll have a choice to make, only it won't be much of one because one choice will be having my heart broken. She then gave me a clue as to my choice."

"What kind of clue?" Gabe's query gets Laura to shyly blush before giving her reply. "That's a clue, alright." Laura nods in agreement before sighing. Fury catching it.

"What is it, Laura?"

"Do we tell Shinji we know something's eating at him?" Fury mulls it over before replying.

"No. We'll keep it just between the three of us. We'll let Shinji come to us with whatever it is that's eating at him."

"Understood." She then walks out of the lab area, leaving Gabe and Fury alone.

"Are you sure this is the right approach, Nicholas?"

"It's the only one that shows we have trust in Shinji and that he can trust us in return."

_(13__th__ level; ten minutes later)_

Shinji can't help but blink at the sight of the pool. Wearing his knee-length blue trunks, the 'SHIELD' insignia on the left side, respireather in his right hand, towel over his left shoulder, he feels overwhelmed.

'This is much bigger than the pool Ayanami, Asuka and I were at that day.' Next thing he knows, a familiar female giggle snaps him out of it and gets him to turn around. The sight of Laura in her one-piece bathing suit, the insignia on the belly, her respireather and towel the same way as Shinji's gets his blood boiling.

"Hi, handsome." Stepping closer to him, she, in a murmur, asks, "You ready for a test session you'll never forget?" Shinji can only silently nod before she giggles again and whispers, "As am I."

With that, they put their towels onto nearby chairs before making their way to the shallowest end. With it being 5 feet deep. She then frowns at the respireather's design, with Shinji noticing it.

"What's wrong, Laura?"

"Just wondering how we're supposed to keep from getting water up our noses and water out of our eyes."

Shinji shrugs before putting his over his lower face, putting his mouthpiece into his mouth, only to find that it has built-in nose plugs that closes his nose off. Laura noticing it before trying it herself, finding hers to be the same way. She then brings it away from her face before smirking.

"That answers that question. Now for the eyes."

"I believe these will be of help to you both." Natasha's voice gets their attention before they turn and see the SHIELD Shadow holding out two pairs of swimming goggles. "Dr Jones told me what he'd had in mind and wants me to supervise you two." They both blink before going beet red.

For the redhead is wearing a black one-piece that illustrates her figure. Said one-piece with the same insignia, only over her left breast. Surprisingly enough, she's with the same equipment herself.

"I see he talked you into it as well, Agent Romanoff." Laura's comment gets a smirk from the lovely Russian before she replies.

"The respireathers were actually my idea. Dr Jones brought it into being though. I'm just seeing if it'll work like expected. Shall we?" At their nods, she hands them the goggles and escorts them to the pool's edge before seating herself on the edge and sliding herself into the water. Shinji and Laura right behind her.

Putting the goggles on over her face, she puts her respireather into place and turns the small knob on the bottom slightly. Seeing them follow suit, she nods and totally submerges herself into the water, with them right behind her. Seeing neither of them emitting bubbles from their respireathers, and seeing none from hers, she gives them a 'thumbs-up' before moving backwards toward deeper water.

Shinji's left hand seeks out Laura's right, with her hand joining with his. Glancing at him from the side, she sees that he's tentative, with it fading to be replaced by awe and wonder. She then gives him a wink with her right eye and gets a soft red blush that can be seen easily in the water. Natasha, however, gently grabs their free hands and gets their attention. Her eyes playfully narrow at them both before lightening up. She then lets them go and pantomimes them dancing together.

Their faces glowing red, they nod and do so. Shinji shyly and gently puts his hands onto Laura's hips and Laura, just as shyly and gently, drapes her arms around his shoulders before the two start swaying together under the pool water's surface. As she watches the two dance, Natasha fervently wishes she had a camera with her.

_(Fury's Office; twenty minutes later)_

"What do you mean the idea's rejected, Fury?!" Pincer's voice is agitated as it goes on. "The 'Sentinel' is our absolutely best bet for dealing with Apocalypse!"

"The 'Sentinel' is also prone to malfunction, Pincer. End of discussion. We'll have to find another way. As it's starting to look, the mutants are the best chance the world has."

"You're going to entrust the survival of the world to 'muties'?! Are you nuts?!"

"In that order, yes and no, Pincer. Oh, you might want to dial down the hate speak or just keep it to yourself. I will not tolerate bigoted crap from anyone. Especially those in Admin. Is that understood, Pincer?" Seeing Fury's serious, Pincer agrees silently. "Good. Have Intel compile the data about the domes to date and get a full breakdown ready by sundown today."

"Yes, Colonel." As Pincer makes to leave the office, he stops and asks, "What prompted your decision, Fury?"

"Just a reminder that even machines made with best, if not dubious, intentions are prone to malfunction at any given time. Given the reputation of the 'Sentinel' project to date, it's best to have an alternate plan of attack on hand."

"I see." With that, Pincer exits Fury's office, his face beet red in rage. 'Damn his ass! The kid must've fed him some phony baloney story about something that never happened!' Gritting his teeth, he verbally snarls out, "Mark my words, Fury, you're being played for a fool! Those 'telepathic muties' lied to you, going along with the kid's charade!"

Snorting, he adds, "I won't even bother reading their statements either as it's all utter hogwash! Then the President will see that you're unfit for duty and give you your pink slip. You'll be a disgrace in the eyes of SHIELD and the world at large!"

He then starts laughing maniacally as he pictures himself sitting in Fury's office, doing things his way. With X-23 and Dr Riesman in shackles in his office, subject to his every whim. And Shinji in an extremely over-locked straightjacket in a padded cell in an insane asylum. To him, the picture's beautiful.


	14. Chapter 14

Evolution Shinji 14

Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or X-Men Evolution. Wish I did, though.

_(Scotland; Haller Manor; same time)_

"I should've known I couldn't trust you, Charles! Because of you, my little boy's left me!"

"Gabrielle, the power the 'Lucas' psyche amassed had more than doubled in the last few years." Charles' tone is gentle, yet upset, as he goes on. "He blew right past my capabilities, which is no mean feat. Perhaps if you'd told me about David to begin with when we divorced, or at least him the truth about why I wasn't around…"

"I did! I told him you left us, even though I left you and divorced you in absentia!"

"Oh, so you did some creative revising on your history. No wonder David's a mess." Scott snorts incredulously before he adds, "And I thought Shinji was a wreck when he got to us." Gabrielle blinks at that before snorting.

"Who's that? Another one of your new students, Charles? You're always picking up new mutants, never thinking about the ones you already have. Or at the very least making yourself, and your students, presentable for societal circles."

"You know I don't much go for societal circles unless I really have to, Gabrielle. I'm much too busy teaching the students to use their abilities for the benefit of humankind. To show humankind that both mutants and humans can coexist together harmoniously."

"Yeah, yeah, your dream. I remember it. Is Shinji part of that dream too, though?"

"Shinji's actually a regular human, Ms Haller, but he's also seen tremendous trauma long before he arrived. But we don't see why he can't be since he got along rather well with the students when he found out." Jean's reply gets Gabrielle to blink before Ororo steps in.

"As for his current status, he's just been enrolled in a program for at-risk youths by a friend of one of the instructors at the Institute. Both he and the instructor's daughter."

"Oh, so they're troublemakers, huh?"

"No, Gabrielle." Charles' face has a solemn look on it as he goes on. "Not that kind of 'at-risk'. At least not in Shinji's case. Laura, however, was created by a terrorist organization to be an assassin and decided she wanted some payback against them for what they did."

"Okay. So what's Shinji's story?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Gabrielle. But suffice it to say that he's seen things no child should ever have to see."

"Try me, Charles, and I'll decide whether or not to believe you." Charles and the others exchange a glance before shrugging. Jean taking it.

"Are you familiar with the concept of alternate dimensions, Ms Haller?" A blank double blink is Gabrielle's only reply to Jean's query.

_(Xavier Institute; Med-wing; five hours later)_

The Fujioka adults sit in silence, staring balefully at the plug-suit and neural connector clips. Despite them being inanimate objects, Taryn's parents can't help but stare at them with loathing. Taryn, on the other hand, can't help but look at them in wary fascination, Paul right behind her.

"I wonder who managed this."

"You're not the only one, Paul." Logan's voice from the doorway gets everyone to turn around and see the Canadian grinning. "I take it these are your folks, Taryn?"

"They are. Mother, Father, this is Mr Logan. Mr Logan, my parents Hidoshi and Kiyone Fujioka." Logan gives them a bow of greeting before turning to Taryn.

"So what brings you by here again so soon, Taryn?"

"Shinji, Mr Logan. I told my parents about him and wanted to know if they could adopt him as my little brother. They were very intrigued by it." Logan's eyebrows can't help but arch upwards.

"Did you tell them his whole story?"

"Mr McCoy filled the missing pieces for them, Mr Logan. Taryn didn't want them to be freaked out of adopting him, so…"

"She didn't tell them about him fighting a war for the survival of the remnants of humanity after a disaster. Let alone him piloting a massive bio-mechanical war machine. Yeah. That's understandable. Anyone else would've been freaked out of adopting him. Unless…"

"Not to worry, Mr Logan." Kiyone's voice is serene as she replies, "The poor boy's been without parental caring for far too long. To deny him that, even after learning his entire story, would be exceedingly cruel to no end." Hidoshi nods his agreement before frowning in thought.

"I can't help but wonder, though, how we'll be able to get an inter-dimensional adoption started. There's no known precedent for it and I can't think of any lawyers that would even know where to begin to do so."

"Yeah. It'd be an uphill battle for certain. But I think we can safely leave out a few details about Shinji's life. Particularly about the being from an alternate dimension and fighting in a war against big aliens. I'm sure Fury can help on that front." Logan's words get them all to look toward him before Paul finds himself curious.

"How long have you known Mr Fury anyway?"

"A long time, around the time SHIELD got started up after WW2. Oh, and it's Colonel Fury. I'll give him a call in a bit." Next thing he knows, a panel beeps. "That should be Chuck and the others calling in." Going to the panel, he keys it.

"Logan."

"_It's 'Storm'. We're ¾ on our way back, Logan."_ The sound of Ororo's voice gets him to lower his eyebrows.

"What happened, 'Ro?"

"_Charles' son had been subdued by one of his psyches. A man named Lucas. Needless to say, Charles' ex-wife was not too happy with him even though Charles did everything he could to keep David on the outside."_

"Chuck has a son?"

"_That's right, Logan."_ Charles' voice comes over the comm. clearly as he goes on. _"Gabrielle concealed his existence from me for years, so the surprise in your voice is more than justified." _

"Sounds like you had your hands full, Chuck." Next thing he knows, Scott pipes in.

"_That's nothing compared to us telling Ms Haller about Shinji. She didn't quite grasp what we were talking about. We're coming up on the Institute's perimeter in the X-Jet now."_

"Got it. I'll check on 'Half-Pint' and the 'Elf' in the meantime before I call Fury."

"_Thank you, Logan. Is Henry around, by any chance?"_ Logan frowns before muting the comm. and turning toward his company.

"Any of you see where 'Beast' went off to?"

"I think he went to the kitchen to see about making soup for Kitty and Kurt." Taryn's reply gets a nod from Logan before she adds, "I just hope they'll be alright, considering the day they had today."

"I don't see why they wouldn't be. It's not like they got out of bed during the day while everyone else was out and about."

"Well, actually…" Taryn's voice trails off as they hear Kitty angrily screaming at Kurt. With Kurt just screaming in fright.

"But… Kitty!"

"DON'T YOU, LIKE, 'KITTY' ME, KURT!" They turn toward the Med-wing's doorway in time to see a mud-splattered Kitty swinging a pillow at Kurt's head as they race past. "BECAUSE OF YOU, I CAN'T, LIKE, EVER SHOW MY FACE AROUND BAYVILLE AGAIN! OR ANYWHERE ELSE, FOR THAT MATTER!"

"It can't have been that bad! I mean, I was asleep!"

"OH, IT WAS BAD ENOUGH YOU TELEPORTED US TO SCHOOL, DOWNTOWN, THE PARK AND A FUNERAL BEFORE I GOT SPLASHED WITH MUD ON THE SIDEWALK, BUT THEN YOU HAD TO, LIKE, TELEPORT US TO SHIELD'S HELI-CARRIER BEFORE BACK TO THE SCHOOL AND PICK UP AMANDA SO SHE CAN SEE WHAT SHINJI AND LAURA BOTH LOOK LIKE!" Kitty and Kurt both reappear in the doorway, with Kitty still swinging the pillow as they race past again.

"THEN YOU TELEPORTED US TO A PLACE, LIKE, THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SEEN ITS BETTER DAYS BEFORE TAKING AMANDA TO HER PLACE THEN BACK TO SCHOOL TO DROP HER OFF! AND DON'T GET ME, LIKE, STARTED ON GOING TO THE BROTHERHOOD HOUSE TO SEE TOAD HOLDING A CHAINSAW OR OUR ENCOUNTER WITH A SWORDMASTER!" Kurt then teleports himself away from Kitty, only for the girl to smirk evilly.

"You can, like, teleport all you want, 'Fuzzy', but one way or another, this pillow is whacking you, hard, in your head!" Kitty then cackles maniacally before going unconscious. Courtesy of a tranquilizer dart in her left shoulder. A sheepish Kurt right behind her before he exhales softly.

"Sorry about that, Kitty, but you really need to sleep." He then looks into the Med-wing and smiles softly at seeing Logan, Paul, Taryn and two other people. "Oh, hello."

"Nice opening, 'Elf'. 'Hello'. You've always been one for subtlety." Logan then looks the both of them over before grunting. "Let's get something into your stomach, 'Elf', because you look hungry."

"Well, I hadn't eaten anything since last night. Okay. Want me to help you with Kitty?"

"Nah. I'll take 'Half-Pint' on up to her room. You just get yourself to the kitchen and fed before going back to bed. Haits, Fujioka clan, why don't you go with him to be sure he does eat? I'll join you in the kitchen after I make that call." Paul and Taryn both nod, with Taryn's parents bowing slightly before Hidoshi speaks.

"Thank you, Mr Logan. While we wait, my wife and I will acquaint ourselves with Kurt. Get to know him better as opposed to what'd happened earlier."

"Do I even want to know?" At the silent headshakes of 'negative' from Paul, Taryn and her parents, Logan smirks. "Now I know I gotta hear this. Later." With that, he picks up a dozing Kitty and walks on. Leaving Kurt with the others, blinking in bewilderment.

"So, what happened earlier?"

_(SHIELD heli-carrier; 13__th__ level; same time)_

Shinji, Laura and Natasha gently rise to the pool water's surface, albeit not wanting to. Once their heads are above water, all three take the respireathers out of their mouths, with Natasha smirking.

"So, what'd you two think?"

"I think it's safe to say that we like the respireathers, Natasha." Laura's reply gets an agreeing nod from Shinji before the girl smirks softly. "How long is the testing supposed to last, anyway?"

"I expect it'll be a week to two weeks, Laura. Meaning you and Shinji here will be my helpers since you're the most enthusiastic." Natasha then smirks right back before adding, "Plus it'll give you two a chance at more 'swimming dates' with each other. Only with fins on your feet. Care to try it tomorrow? See what it's like?"

"Sure." Shinji's tone, while tentative still, has eagerness within. Getting Laura and Natasha both to grin softly at him before the three make their way to the pool's edge.

_(2__nd__ Level; one hour later)_

"Okay, Shinji and Laura, this is the 2nd Level as you'd already briefly seen yesterday. As Pierce had undoubtedly told you already, this is our hangar. We have transport helos and attack VTOL gunships as our birds. We use retired airport tractors to move them to and from the elevators. The level above us is the flight deck and command tower." Wearing their BDUs again while Kate's wearing her blue jumpsuit as usual, Shinji and Laura both feel their eyes go wide.

The transport helos are black with machine guns on the underside of the nose and weapon pods at the sides. The attack VTOL gunships are green, with the front end of the airframe having the appearance and weaponry of an AH-64 Apache, but that's where it ends. For instead of a main and rear rotor, the gunships have wings and one thruster on either end of the wing. Kate sees their expressions of stunned awe and giggles softly.

"You like them, don't you?" At their silent nods, Kate shakes her head in amusement before the two teens recover their wits. "Shall we move on?" At their joint nods, Kate grins and says, "Next stop, 3rd Level so Shinji can pick up that sketch pad he left in the Med-bay before we go on to the 4th Level. I think you'll both like what's there."

"What's there, Agent Neville?"

"The Recreation Area, Shinji. Some of it is compartmentalized as a library, so you'd have somewhere quiet to sit while you read. There's also a big-screen cinema section, a pool table and a video game arcade of sorts for Agents to spend their time on 'Stand Down' until the next crisis pops up. Anytime a crisis pops up, the Agents are to drop what they're doing and prepare to scramble."

"That's understandable. Can't exactly do your job when you're playing games. But it has to be annoying for them to go through it all again." Laura's remark gets a smirk from Kate, prompting her to ask, "What is it, Agent Neville?"

"There are one or two Agents tasked with recording, if any, the name of the Agents playing on the game and their scores. So that concern's needless. Care to see what's there when we get that sketch pad?" Their eager nods are so fast, Kate's worried their heads will pop off. Yet she can't help but grin at them. "I take it you two never had time for fun and games growing into teenagers."

"HYDRA has differing ideas of fun and games than normal people do."

"I guess that's difference between us and them, then. We're semi-normal, they're nowhere near normal." Kate and Laura both start giggling at Shinji's very accurate assessment. With Shinji shyly chuckling himself before Kate looks toward him. "Agent Neville?"

"I was just remembering what I saw in your mind last night, Shinji. What Angel was that, anyway?"

"The 5th Angel, Kate. Ayanami had just finished reactivating Unit-00 when we got the notification about the Angel. Unit-00 had just been reactivated and wasn't fully ready for combat. I was deployed to the surface and, once Unit-01 was in position…"

"The 5th Angel blasted you before you could even move." Kate then shudders, adding, "I felt the LCL in the entry plug boiling all around me like it did you, Shinji. I felt your pain and heard your scream just before I ended my scan of your mind. It's a wonder you even survived it!" Shinji winces in empathy for her and opens his mouth, only for Kate to notice it.

"If you're going to offer an apology for what I saw, felt and heard, don't worry about it." Kate gives him a gentle smile before she goes on. "It wasn't your fault, so you've nothing to apologize for, Shinji." Laura nods emphatically before Shinji smiles.

"Thank you, Kate."

"You're welcome, Shinji. Shall we? I really want to see the sketches you did. Tim told me they were very nicely done." Shinji nods shyly, his face a soft pink while Laura and Kate both share a giggle.

"You're so cute like that! But why are you blushing?" Shinji can only shrug at Kate's query before they descend the staircase leading down to the 3rd Level. Once they reach the hatch, Kate submits her palm for security authentication. When it clears, the hatch unlocks and Kate leads them in.

As usual, the 3rd Level's bustling with activity. Shinji and Laura both blink at it all before the former looks around. Next thing he knows, something in an isolated section catches his eye, peaking his curiosity. Stepping away from the others, he makes his way there until he sees a large clear casket-like case. Only it has frost within it. Along with a strong-looking form. With trepidation, he nears it and sees three familiar colors. Red, white and blue. With blue being the dominant color.

"I see you found 'Captain America' and his cryo-case, Shinji."

Gabe's voice behind him startles Shinji slightly, getting him to jump before turning around. Kate and Laura are behind Gabe, with the man wearing a soft smile on his face.

"Didn't mean to startle you there, Shinji."

"I… I… didn't mean to be somewhere I'm not…"

"Supposed to be? Nonsense. Though this is a classified area, but I'm sure Nicholas will understand." Gabe then steps toward Shinji and the cryo-case before going on. "I'm not sure if your world had a 'Captain America' in it or not, Shinji. So this must be something for your mind to ponder."

"What's wrong with him, Dr Jones?" Gabe's eyebrows arch upwards before Shinji goes on. "I mean, he must be in there for a reason. Health related, perhaps."

"Yeah, he is. Basically, Steve Rogers, aka 'Captain America', wanted to serve his country. But due to his poor health, he'd been repeatedly turned down, with the Doctors wishing he could. For he had an admirable spirit, in spite of it all. When 'Operation Rebirth' came along, he jumped at it and became our country's finest example of genetic engineering and morale booster for the troops. But, due to a defect in the serum used at the time…"

"The serum bringing him into fighting shape eventually started eating him alive. Resulting in him being in suspended animation until a cure can be found. But not before the tube responsible for it could be destroyed, if only to keep others from going through what he did. Years later, a man he and another soldier rescued from a prison camp as a boy named Erik Lenhsherr, under the alias of 'Magneto', stole a backup tube for the project to restore his youth and vitality." Fury's voice gets Gabe to jump himself, getting the Colonel to smirk. "You're slipping, Gabe."

"No, Nicholas, you're just getting quieter by the day." Fury smirks wider at that before Gabe goes on. "I was just telling Shinji and Laura about the one success of 'Operation Rebirth', along with why he's in there." Fury nods thoughtfully at that before looking toward Shinji. His smirk becoming a gentle smile.

"I'm sure he'd like meeting you at some point in time, Shinji. Provided, of course, we can find a cure for him." Shinji nods his agreement, smiling softly, before Fury goes serious. "We've got an Intel breakdown to get to, JO Ikari. You and JO Howlett are welcome to attend so we can get you up to speed. Consider it part of your education for the program."

"Yes, sir. But, if we're JOs, won't we be out of place?"

"No, Shinji. You won't be out of place." Giving Laura and Shinji both a returning smirk, he adds, "Besides, it'll piss off Pincer."

"Sounds like you enjoy it, sir." Laura's comment gets Fury to nod before she smirks herself. "I'm in, sir. Besides, I really want to see him have a stroke and coronary. I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet."

"It's just a matter of time before it does, JO Howlett. If anything, he deserves it for his racist behavior. Especially when it comes to mutants. In fact, I've got an idea. Gabe, you up for a prank?"

"When it comes to Pincer, Nicholas, absolutely." Fury can only change his smirk into an evil grin as he turns to Kate, Shinji and Laura.

"How about you three? If you're not up to it, I won't hold it against you." Kate, Shinji and Laura look toward each other and share a nod before giving Fury their collective reply.

"We're in, sir."

_(Ten minutes later; heli-carrier Situation Room)_

"Okay, let's get started. First off, I'd like to welcome JOs Ikari and Howlett to the briefing so they can be brought up to speed." Fury's words bring a look of ire to Pincer's face before Shinji walks around the table, wheeling a small table with a coffee maker on it. Laura right behind him.

"But first, JO Ikari's graciously volunteered to serve coffee to anyone interested, with JO Howlett following up with cream and sugar as options." Pincer rolls his eyes at Shinji and Laura's attempt to bridge a gap. But yet he can't resist putting his hand up. William following suit. Getting a nod from Shinji in the process.

"Getting desperate, Fury?"

"No, Pincer. Just thought that since you don't want to listen, we won't bother you with Shinji's past anymore."

"Oh I'll listen. Once he gets that idiotic notion out of his head. Matter of fact, JO Ikari, if you were indeed, an Evangelion Pilot, where's your Unit at? Just out of curiosity, of course." Shinji mulls it over before shrugging.

"I figure it's in the void of the 12th Angel still, sir." Pincer can't help but frown sternly at the young man.

"That seems rather reckless on your part. Why not bring it through with you? I am sure Dr Jones would've loved to examine it for himself." Blinking, he then asks, "Where is he anyway, Fury? It's not like him to miss a meeting like this."

"Gabe said he had something come up in the lab, but will be along soon." Pincer nods his understanding before looking toward Shinji.

"I'm waiting, JO Ikari."

"I was unconscious when I came into this world and Unit-01's power supply had been expended to assist the plug-suit's life support system, sir." Shinji then puts the mug of coffee down in front of Pincer before moving on to do William's coffee. With Laura stepping up to him, neutral expression on her face.

"Cream or sugar, Admin Director?"

"One cream, three sugars, JO Howlett."

Laura nods before bringing out a small creamer cup and opening the seal. Once it's opened, she pours the creamer in before putting the empty down onto her tray and bringing up three sugar cubes. As she puts them in, Pincer can't help but smirk.

"I'm sure if you hadn't been made by HYDRA, X-23, you'd have made a great barista at a downtown coffee joint." Laura silently nods before moving on. Gritting her teeth in irritation at the condescending remark. Shinji noticing it and moving to cheer her up. Only for Gabe to walk into the room.

"Sorry I'm late. Had a situation come up in the lab." Seeing Shinji standing by the coffee maker, he asks, "Shinji, what's the number on that coffee maker?" Shinji looks and sees the number.

"It's 13, Doctor." Gabe's eyes shoot open in horror as Shinji puts William's coffee down in front of him before asking, "Anybody else?" Pierce raises his hand and clears his throat.

"I'm not much of a coffee drinker, JO Ikari, but I'll take a spot of tea if it's not a bother." Dugan, the bespectacled male and the female of Pincer's entourage nod at Shinji.

"One tea each coming right up, Agent Pierce, Ops Director Dugan, sir, ma'am." Meanwhile, Laura goes to William's side, only to be waved off. She then nods her understanding just as Pincer and William both put their mugs to their lips.

"Wait, AD Pincer! Mr Harrison! Don't drink that!" Gabe's voice cuts through to them as Pincer and William both start drinking. Pincer takes a swallow before looking toward Gabe. William right behind him.

"Why, might I ask, Dr Jones?"

"That has minute traces of nitroglycerin, gentlemen." Pincer and William's eyes bulge out in horror as Gabe goes on. "It seems one of the lab techs used one of the coffee makers from the Galley in the lab to make a new kind of it before putting it back. '13' was the number of that coffee maker." Kate gulps fearfully before looking toward Gabe.

"Is there anything we can do, Dr?"

"Only thing they can do is avoid a massive shock. No hard breathing or sudden movements. They might also want to pray."

"BOOM!"

Pincer and William both jump in shock at Shinji and Laura's yell before the latter two collapse onto each other in hysterical laughter. Fury and the others, sans Pincer and William, joining in. Kate laughs so hard, she falls off her seat onto the floor. Pierce and Dugan both bump fists with each other while laughing. Pincer, however…

"Fury! I demand you discipline these… hooligans!" Fury rolls his good eye, smirking, prompting Pincer to blink. "You mean… you were in on it?!"

"You really need to lighten up, Pincer. If not, you'll be on your way to an ulcer. Of course, you're probably already halfway there. Also, consider it karma kicking you in the ass." Going serious, he adds, "For now, though, let's get started about the domes. Gabe?" Nodding, Gabe sits down, pressing a button on the table. Bringing up an image of a black-purple dome.

"First and foremost, it's not really a dome, but a sphere. Ground Penetrating Radar determined as much just today. And it was brought about because of this individual." Gabe presses another button, causing the image to show a blue-grey male form.

"Subject designation, Apocalypse. Actual name, En Sabah Nur. He's an extremely powerful mutant that's been around since the time of the pharaohs. Maybe even before them. From our research through Professor Xavier's files and notes, he's willing to go to any length to ensure his goals are met." Gabe presses another button before going on.

"As you can see from the footage recorded two weeks ago in Mexico, he's not to be underestimated at all. Under any circumstances, by anyone, period." Everyone at the table sees the black-purple colored object, a cluster of vehicles and people around it. With some of them appearing familiar to Shinji and Laura both.

"Um, Dr Jones, is that Pryde_-san_ with the equipment at the side of the sphere?"

Gabe nods silently at Shinji's question before bringing Kitty into better focus. Clad in a black-purple outfit, her hands covered in heavy duty gloves, Kitty takes hold of a machine before putting it to the side of the sphere. When the machine starts, however, it malfunctions on a massive scale before exploding after Beast throws it upward.

"It can't even be analyzed. Let alone penetrated by conventional means."

As Gabe finishes, a silver metal sphere flies into view, a man wearing a red helmet and armor rising from it before forming the sphere into a spike and attacking the site. Once the spike's made impact, it shatters, sending pieces of the spike everywhere. Shinji can only watch stunned as the tanks and other vehicles are then levitated upward before attacking the object. With satellites from the sky getting in on it. When the smoke clears, however, the object's still intact.

"That's conventional, Dr Jones? That looks unconventional to me."

"For Magneto, AD Pincer, it was conventional." The group then watches as Apocalypse appears before Magneto before clenching his hand. Next thing they know, Magneto screams before vanishing in a ball of light.

"Mother of God." Everyone looks toward the woman in Pincer's entourage before nodding and turning back to the screen. The X-Men on site are clearly shaken, with Xavier in anguish can be seen as the footage ends. Shinji frowns at the sight.

"Did the Professor know Magneto personally?" Gabe nods at Shinji's question.

"Oh yes. For a time, the two were the best of friends. However, their beliefs were what caused the rift in between them. Xavier believes that regular humans and mutants can coexist peacefully and Magneto believed in mutant supremacy over humanity. That humanity will never accept mutants."

"No wonder he sounded determined when Laura and I met him yesterday." Shinji's comment gets a nod from Fury before Fury's comm. chimes.

"Fury here."

"_Communications, sir. Asset Wolverine's on the line for you, sir."_

"Understood. I'll take it in here." When the comm. shuts off, he switches the screen to visual communication and grins when he sees Logan's face. "I thought you said you wouldn't call me again, Logan." The gruff Canadian smirks toward Fury.

"_Yeah, well, something came up. Is Shinji handy?"_

"Yeah, he is. He's right here in the room with me. I'm widening the camera's view so you can see." Next thing they know, Logan scowls.

"_I see Pincer's there right now." _

"Where else would I be, Weapon-X?"

"_Better question would be why haven't you dropped dead yet? Or at least stop looking like you just got butt-fucked on national TV."_ Shinji and Laura both snort at that. With Pincer scowling at Logan before replying.

"Someone has to be sure SHIELD's diplomacy needs can be met, Weapon-X. Heaven knows Fury's style isn't exactly diplomatic."

"_I'm sure SHIELD can find someone more suited for that than you."_ Logan then grins at seeing Shinji and Laura both sitting together. Wearing blue camouflage BDUs.

"_Well now, don't you two look comfortable together?"_ Shinji and Laura both blush before Logan goes on. _"In any case, Shinji, you remember Taryn Fujioka from yesterday?"_

"I do, sir. How is she?"

"_She's doing fine. As for why I'm calling, it's because her parents want to adopt you. Even with your life before you got here."_ Pincer cuts in at that point.

"You can't possibly believe that fantasy, Weapon-X. I thought you didn't go for fantasy scenarios."

"_There's no way what Shinji says he went through can be fake. What Jean and Chuck saw…"_ His voice trailing off, Logan shakes it off. _"I wouldn't want your life before you got here, Shinji."_

"I understand, Mr Logan. I don't even know of anyone that would want it. Except for Kensuke, that is."

"One of your friends from Tokyo-3, I gather?" Fury's query gets a nod from Shinji before Fury nods right back. "Now I know I gotta hear more about the people there. Tim tells me you're a sketch artist of sorts."

"Maybe a little bit, sir."

"I'll be the judge of that." Shinji can only smile sheepishly at that before Fury asks, "How many sketches have you done so far?"

"I've completed four, was working on a fifth and sixth one, but the fifth is of someone I just met in this world. I can do the rest of the sketches by tomorrow, though." Fury nods in approval, noting Laura's soft blush, before Shinji goes on. "But, for now, I've a question or two about Apocalypse." Logan's attention is quickly grabbed by it, prompting the Canadian to nod.

"_Go ahead, Shinji."_

"Okay. If Apocalypse has been around since the time of the pharaohs, if not before, then he had to have slept at some point in time. When was he awakened?"

"_That's a very good question, Shinji. The answer's not so good. A month ago, a mutant named 'Mesmero' took control of Rogue's mind and had her gather the others' powers, X-Men, Mystique, the Brotherhood, Magneto and Magneto's Acolytes alike, to awaken him. Much like he had taken control of Jean, 'Half-Pint', 'Elf' and 'Spyke' once before." _Shinji can't help but blink at that one.

"Who's 'Spyke', Mr Logan? I don't recall meeting that one."

"_He's 'Ro's nephew. Evan 'Spyke' Daniels. Much like the nickname implies, he can project spikes of bone from his body. Reason why you haven't met him is because his mutation got out of control. Prompting him to take up with the Morlocks." _Seeing Shinji blink again, Logan adds, _"I'll tell you more later in person. But, for now, I'd better finish. Once that was done, Mesmero and Mystique took Rogue to Tibet where…"_ Shinji puts the rest together.

"Mesmero had Mystique and Rogue awaken Apocalypse. But, what happened to Mystique? I heard that Rogue killed her, but the details were a little vague about the circumstances."

"She was turned into stone. Rogue shoved her off the veranda at the Institute onto the rocks below a few days later. A fitting end for someone like her." Pincer smirks at that before turning to Fury. "Looks like your guess about Apocalypse being a casting reject from 'The Smurfs' was a bust, Fury. Are you sure you don't want to use Sentinels for the planned action?"

"I'm sure, Pincer." Logan's face takes on a look of anger before Fury puts his hand up. "What's with you wanting to use something that can't work for jack shit anyway, Pincer?"

"The Sentinel program is the best bet SHIELD has to combat the menace." Pincer looks over at Shinji before snorting. "Unless, of course, 'Dimension Boy' here has an idea around that."

"I think I might, actually. 'Operation Yoshima' comes to mind." Seeing everyone blink, including Laura, he goes on. "It was the operation NERV designated to destroy the 5th Angel. While Unit-01's armor was being repaired, and I was recovering, from the first time around, Misato had the MAGI run calculations to find the odds for what she had in mind." Logan can't help but lean toward the screen, intrigued. Neither can Laura.

"_What was it?"_

"A sniper attack, from Mt Futago. The MAGI gave the odds of success being at 15%, yet it was the highest odds available." Pincer can't help but blink at that.

"You call those 'highest odds'? Those are 'suicide odds', boy. Misato sounds like an idiot."

"I'm glad Misato's not here to hear you say that, AD Pincer. She'd likely shoot you in the nuts for that." Fury and Logan both snort at that, with Laura smirking softly, before Shinji goes on. "In any case, we went with the sniper attack. NERV commandeered a positron rifle the JSSDF had been working on and modified it into a sniper rifle. Using power from all over Japan, we brought the 5th Angel down."

"I find that rather hard to swallow, JO Ikari." Pincer's voice is filled with scorn as he goes on. "If you'd recovered from the blast after the first time, how'd you avoid getting blasted again?" Without missing a beat, Shinji gives his reply.

"NERV had fashioned a shield from a piece of a space shuttle for Unit-00 to use in order to provide protection for Unit-01." Smiling sheepishly, he adds, "I wound up having to shoot twice. The first time was at the same time the 5th blasted. The beams repelled each other."

"That must've sucked." Kate's comment gets a nod from Shinji before he goes on.

"While I had to wait for the rifle to cool and recharge after changing the fuses, Ayanami took position with the shield. Just before the 5th blasted again, the resultant heat causing the armor plating to melt instantly. When I saw it melting to the point of collapse, I pulled the trigger." Tentatively, Laura pipes in.

"How badly was it melted?"

"Enough to warrant replacement of the entire armor package on Unit-00. But, ultimately, Ayanami was fine and NERV had brought down another Angel." Pincer muses thoughtfully before smirking.

"That sounds rather exciting, JO Ikari. Your story's so inspiring, it makes me want to go and find a positron rifle and modify it. Oh, but wait… the technology doesn't exist!"

"Maybe not, but I know of the next best thing." Fury's voice gets their attention as he goes on. "Logan, I'll contact you later."

"_Later, Fury."_ Logan logs off the comm. before Fury turns to Gabe.

"Gabe, how hard would it be for you to 'meatball' a disruptor cannon for the gunships to use against the spheres?" Gabe can't help but be intrigued at the idea. Along with, Fury as well, notice Shinji's blink.

"I'd have to take measurements on the gunships, tear down the disruptor cannons on the Sentinel we have in impound before I can even calculate, but I'll get right on it."

"Okay. Looks like we've an idea of sorts. Meeting adjourned." With that, everyone rises, a seething Pincer slowly following suit, before Fury says, "JOs Ikari and Howlett, stick around a bit." Shinji and Laura both nod as the group exits the Situation Room. Once they're all gone, Fury asks, "Did you have another déjà vu moment, son?"

"Yes sir. When you asked Dr Jones about doing a 'meatball' for retrofitting the gunships. Only the 'meatball' was about repairs." Fury nods thoughtfully at that.

"Okay, from here on out, any time a déjà vu moment pops up, write it down. Okay?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Howlett?"

"Yes sir?"

"You and Ikari relax for the rest of the day on the 4th Level before reporting to the 9th Level for chow. Unless of course, you two want to go ahead and share the rest of Howlett's slabs from last night. In her quarters. As part of a quasi-romantic dinner date." The implication of Fury's words gets the two to go beet red, yet with smiles on their faces. "Dismissed."

"Yes, sir." At their united reply, Shinji and Laura both look to each other before chuckling softly. Fury rolling his good eye as they exit the Situation Room.

'Ah, to be that young again.' Wistful thought done, he establishes a comm. line. With Logan's face appearing on the screen. A frown on it.

"_I didn't expect a call back from you so soon, Fury."_

"I did say later, Logan." The Canadian smirks at that before Fury asks, "How're things at the Institute?"

"_Same old stuff, new twists, different day. Especially this one. Chuck has a son from when he was married before. Only he wasn't told about him by the ex at all. With the ex giving the kid a different history." _

"That's rather cold of her." Logan nods in agreement, a frown on his face before the frown becomes a smirk.

"_What's this I hear about 'Half-Pint', 'Elf' and Sefton making an appearance on the heli-carrier? I thought his range was two miles."_ Fury can only shrug in bewilderment at this.

"That's what the notes on his abilities say. As to their making an appearance, I confirm it. It happened during Pierce's lecture on threat assessment."

"_I don't think I know that one."_

"I was the same way when I first met him. Both he and Kate."

_(8__th__ Level; Laura's Quarters; seven minutes later)_

Shinji and Laura both can't help but blush at each other before she waves for Shinji to sit on the bed before she closes the door for her quarters. Crossing to the refrigerator, she opens the door and smiles softly at hearing him rise to help her before looking back toward him.

"Sure you want to help me, Shinji?" At his nod, her smile goes wider before she says, "Okay." She then unbuttons her BDU blouse and takes it off, leaving her in her undershirt and BDU trousers. Tossing it back toward Shinji, she says, "Drape it across the chair, please."

"Okay." As he does so, he looks back toward Laura and sees her frowning at the leftover lasagna slabs. "Something wrong, Laura?"

"Just trying to figure out how much time to give them, if not reduce the size of the slabs." Shinji goes to her side and looks down at the slabs before grinning. A blush on his face. "Shinji?"

"Why don't we eat the slab together?" Laura blushes at the implication before nodding. At that, she brings out the half-slab from the refrigerator and carries it to the microwave. Shinji then says, "I'll go see if I can borrow a couple of forks from the Galley."

"Okay." With that, Shinji exits the quarters, with Laura smiling softly as the hatch slides closed. "While he's doing that…" She then whips off her shirt and grins. Ten minutes later, a soft knock is heard on the hatch and Laura puts her shirt back on, checking the remaining time on the silently running microwave. Tucking it back in before she opens the hatch. Only to see Shinji smiling shyly, with two forks and two bottles of water in hand.

"Oh, how thoughtful of you." Laura smiles just as shyly before letting Shinji in and closing the hatch.

"I wasn't sure what to get for us to drink, so I went with bottled water just to be on the safe side." The feeling of Laura's lips against his right cheek from behind gets him to try and return the favor. And succeed, only against Laura's lips as she'd been hoping he'd return form. Laura sighs in contentment before the soft kiss ends.

"Let's eat first."

Shinji gives Laura a nod as the microwave chimes that time had run out. Opening the microwave door, Laura brings out the tray with the half-slab on it and puts it onto the table before closing the microwave's door. In turn, Shinji puts the water bottles and forks on either side of the table before bringing Laura's chair out for her.

"Thank you, Shinji." Seating herself into the chair before sliding it along the carpeting toward the table, she watches as Shinji seats himself before doing the same with his. Once he's seated, they eat in silence.

_(Thirty minutes later)_

Their bellies full, both teens put their forks down, with Laura gazing at Shinji.

"It was a crazy day today, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was. But also quite entertaining." Laura nods her agreement before snorting, with Shinji adding, "Though I think the day the 4th Angel attacked was the craziest one."

"How so?"

"It was when I met Touji and Kensuke. Touji's fist in my face was my first introduction to them both." Laura blinks at that before frowning and extending her right hand's claws. Shinji noticing them. "Please, don't worry about it, Laura."

"I don't see why I shouldn't, Shinji. I mean, if that's how a friendship gets started, I'd hate to see how a rivalry starts." Shinji gives a slight grin, with Laura smirking herself before retracting her claws. "Okay. I trust he had a reason for that."

"Yeah. My first Angel battle, Touji's little sister got hurt when she was outside the shelter. Being untrained like I was…"

"But there was no way you could've known about her being out of the shelter, Shinji." Reaching her left hand over to his right, she gently takes it into her hand and softly squeezes it. "Do you still feel that way?"

"All the time, even though Touji accepted it was an accident. Especially since…"

"Since what, Shinji?"

"He and Kensuke were in the plug with me during the last part of the battle." From there, he tells her about what'd happened to lead up to it. He then finishes with, "And we'd been friends ever since. Though mainly it was just so they can be close to Misato."

Laura then silently nods before rising, Shinji following suit before they move to her bed and sit down. Side by side, clad in their BDUs. In silence, both wondering how to proceed next. Shinji then takes a deep breath before looking at Laura. With the girl doing the same thing to him. Slowly, their faces inch toward each other, their eyes closing, before their lips meet.

Shinji then parts his lips against Laura's, with Laura doing the same before sending their tongues to meet each other. As they French, Laura slowly repositions herself until she's straddling Shinji. Upon feeling his arms wrap around her, she does the same thing before they end the kiss. Gazing into his blue eyes with her green, the girl gently cups his left cheek with her right hand, her eyes welling with tears. Shinji noticing them.

"Laura?" She doesn't reply. She just kisses him again, her kiss becoming heated with fervent desire. Her slender fingers running through his hair as he returns the passionate French kiss.


End file.
